Who helped themselves at the PIT?
By Chad Ford
NBA Insider
Send an Email to Chad Ford Monday, April 12
Updated: April 12
10:59 AM ET
# Mock Lottery, Mock Draft: See 1,716 potential lottery scenarios
The Portsmouth Invitational ended Saturday along with the NBA dreams of many college seniors. Scouts and league executives identified only a handful of players who have a shot at getting drafted.
Only a few of the top players from Portsmouth actually will be invited to the NBA Pre-Draft Camp in Chicago. Most of the top seniors who skipped the PIT will play in Chicago. So will many of the bubble underclassmen and foreign players. That leaves anywhere from 10-12 Chicago slots for PIT players. In the next few weeks, each team will send the NBA a list of the 60 players it would like to see in Chicago. The NBA tabulates the results, and the players with the most votes get invitations.
After talking with numerous NBA scouts and league executives, here's a look at the PIT players with the best chance to get a coveted invitation to the Chicago Pre-Draft Camp, which opens June 1:
Brown
Andre Brown, PF, DePaul: The former McDonald's All-American had a lackluster four years at DePaul, but he did a lot to make up for that by averaging 18.3 ppg and 10.6 rpg at the PIT. In a draft where big men come at a premium, Brown's size, athleticism and ability to clean the glass will earn him another long look in Chicago and the chance to become a second-round pick.
Bryant Matthews, SF, Virginia Tech: He led the Big East in scoring last year, averaging 22 points and 9 rebounds. He's a big time athlete who, unfortunately, had to spend much of his time at Virginia Tech playing in the paint. He rarely shot 3s or handled the ball. That earned him the knock as an undersized power forward -- a death knell in the NBA. However, his coach at Tech, Seth Greenberg, claims he was forced to play Matthews inside, because he needed a player who could draw a double team. "He can do more than that." He proved that at the PIT by handling the ball and shooting well (though his 3-point shot was still coming up short). His 18 ppg were enough to give him another look in Chicago.
Nigel Dixon, C, Western Kentucky: His numbers at the PIT don't jump out at you, but Dixon was the most legit NBA center prospect here. He has great size and uses it to his advantage. He's still raw, and scouts will always worry about his weight (he ballooned to more than 400 pounds a few years ago), but he does what too few college big men can do these days -- bang in the paint. If he stays in shape, he'll be a sleeper.
Farmer
Desmon Farmer, G, Southern California: Farmer's energy, combined with a scintillating 29-point performance at the PIT and a solid career at USC, will earn him a spot in Chicago. The biggest knock on Farmer throughout his career has been his perimeter shooting (he went 0-12 vs. Arizona from the collegiate 3-point line in the last game of the season). He's been working on his shot, and it showed in Portsmouth. If he can get it falling in Chicago, he's an intriguing second-round pick.
Nate Williams, C, Georgia State: Williams showed great talent in his four years at Georgia State. What he lacked was consistent effort on both ends of the floor. His 19 ppg and 7.5 rpg here should be enough to get him a second look in Chicago. He's still not a great rebounder and still needs to add more strength, but he has upside. There are very few seniors you can say that about these days.
Michel Morandais, SG, Colorado: Morandais is another athletic kid who proved to be one of the most reliable scoring options at the PIT. Morandais led all scorers here, averaging 20.6 ppg and 6.3 rpg. Morandais is a great athlete who has a tremendous in-between game, a la Richard Hamilton. The fact he already is 24 years old may scare away some folks, however.
Burks
Antonio Burks, PG, Memphis: Burks didn't have the best tournament, but a 16-point, 10-assist game Saturday went a long way for scouts. Regardless of how he played here, many scouts believe he's a legit NBA prospect. He'll get another shot in Chicago and is a likely second-round pick.
Ricky Minard, SG, Morehead State: Minard had two big-time scoring performances and ended the tournament averaging 17.3 ppg. The biggest question with him is position. He's 6-foot-4 (if that) and has played the two spot for most of his career. He's an excellent ball handler and knows how to find the open man (he averaged 5.1 apg). Could he make the flip to point guard in the pros? One scout claimed Minard reminded him a little of Ronald Murray -- a PIT darling two years ago.
Jackson Vroman, C, Iowa State: Vroman was the best-scoring big man in the group, averaging 19.3 ppg and 8.3 rpg for the tournament. The questions about size and athleticism will haunt him in the draft however. Vroman is only 6-10 and doesn't have the quickness to play anywhere but in the paint.
Erik Daniels, SF, Kentucky: Daniels, like Kentucky's two other seniors, got lost in Tubby Smith's system and is now trying to emerge from the scrum. He averaged 16 ppg in the tournament and drew praise for his hustle, defense and knowledge of the game. He's a good athlete but will have to improve his strength and perimeter shooting to have a real shot at getting drafted.
Luis Flores, PG/SG, Manhattan: Flores did little to show he was a point guard here, but he's such a great, quick scorer that he's sure to get another look in Chicago. The Bobby Jackson comparisons won't stop, which means lots of people will take a serious look at him in Chicago.
Nuggets, Jazz in a scrum for last playoff spot
By Chad Ford
NBA Insider
Send an Email to Chad Ford Monday, April 12
Updated: April 12
11:10 AM ET
The NBA season has boiled down to this. Three days to determine a season, the fate of several coaches, the playoff aspirations of thousands of fans and the race for the coveted NBA Championship.
The Celtics locked up the last playoff berth in the East on Sunday night, despite winning a pitiful 35 games this season and losing their last four.
Out West, seven of the top eight spots are now locked down, with the Jazz and Nuggets tied for eighth place and the Blazers just one game out.
In addition for the race to make the playoffs, several teams in both conferences are working frantically to position themselves to be able to have some staying power in the postseason.
In the East, the Hornets, Bucks and Heat are in a three-team race to avoid the Pistons in Round 1.
Out West, very little is settled at this point. With the exception of the Rockets, who are locked into the seventh spot, everything is up for grabs.
Insider breaks down the playoff race as we head into the home stretch:
Jerry Sloan has the Jazz poised to earn the No. 8 seed in the West.
# Who will round out the elite eight in the West? The Nuggets and Jazz are both at 42 wins with two games left. The Blazers are one game behind them at 41 wins and have the most difficult task. The only way Portland makes the playoffs at this point is by winning their last two games (at home against the Spurs and Lakers) and hoping the Nuggets and Jazz each lose both of their games. Since the Nuggets and Jazz both own tie breakers against the Blazers, it's the only way.
More likely, this will come down to a two-team battle between the Nuggets and Jazz. Denver has the toughest road to travel despite owning the tie breaker with the Jazz. The Nuggets play the Kings at home Monday, then travel to San Antonio on Wednesday for the last game of the season. They need to win at least one to survive. The problem is, both the Spurs and Kings are still playing for playoff position. Neither is on cruise control, despite having clinched playoff berths.
If the Nuggets lose both, Wednesday night's Jazz finale in Utah becomes huge. The Jazz get a huge break in the form of a home game against the Suns, the second-worst team in the West. Utah also plays Monday night at Minnesota, which probably will be a loss, so look for this to go to the wire on Wednesday. If the Jazz win, they're likely in. If they lose, the Nuggets will slide in by default -- unless, that is, the Blazers find a way to beat both the Spurs and Lakers this week.
INSIDER PREDICTION: Utah makes the playoffs as the No. 8 seed.
# Who will face the Pistons in Round 1? With all eight playoff spots secured in the East, we turn to a pretty nasty battle among three teams to avoid the dreaded No. 6 seed and the honor of playing the Pistons, the hottest team in the East right now.
Right now the Hornets are stuck in sixth, with the Heat fifth and the Bucks fourth. Milwaukee owns the tie breaker over the Heat; the Heat own the tie breaker over the Hornets; and the Hornets own the tie breaker over the Bucks. Got that?
Milwaukee has a one-game lead over both the Heat and Hornets. One more win (at Cleveland or at home vs. the Raptors) combined with a Hornets loss, and the Bucks secure the fourth seed and home-court advantage in the first round.
The fight for the fifth seed will be tougher. Miami and New Orleans have identical records, and the Heat own the tie breaker. However, Miami has a tougher schedule, playing at Boston on Monday and at home vs. the Nets on Wednesday. New Orleans plays the Knicks at home Monday and ends the season at Washington. The Hornets have their own worries though. They likely will be without Baron Davis and Darrell Armstrong for both games.
INSIDER PREDICTION: Bucks 4th; Heat 5th, Hornets 6th.
Tim Duncan and coach Gregg Popovich might have to settle for the No. 4 seed.
# Who's No. 1 in the West? The Kings scored a huge win Sunday over the Lakers, putting them a game ahead of L.A. for the lead in the Pacific Division. Since the Kings also own the tie breaker with the Lakers, one more win will secure, at the very least, the division title and No. 2 seed.
Can they get get to No. 1? Minnesota is game ahead of both Sacramento and San Antonio right now with two games remaining (at home vs. the Jazz and at Memphis). One more win will knock the Kings out of contention for the top seed. However, the Wolves will need two wins, or a San Antonio loss, to hold off the Spurs, because San Antonio holds the tie breaker between the two teams.
The Kings have the easiest schedule, although both games are on the road -- at Denver and at Golden State. The Spurs really need to win both of their games (at Portland and home vs. the Nuggets) to keep from slipping to No. 3, and they could slip all the way to fourth if the Lakers win both of their games (at Golden State and at Portland). However, the Lakers have been a marginal team on the road this season.
INSIDER PREDICTION: Wolves 1st; Kings 2nd; Lakers 3rd; Spurs 4th.
# The Grizzlies or the Mavs? At this point, the difference between the fifth and sixth seeds in the West is marginal, at best. Pick your poison: If things play out the way we predict, the No. 5 seed will face the defending champion Spurs, while the No. 6 seed gets the two-time world champion Lakers. Right now the Grizzlies and Mavs are locked in a dead heat for No. 5, with the Grizzlies owning the tie-breaker.
But this one will be decided Tuesday night, when the two meet head-to-head in Dallas. The Grizzlies are on a four-game win streak, and the Mavs have the best home record in the NBA so ... do the math. If the Mavs win, they take both a one-game lead over the Grizzlies and clinch the tie-breaker. That means there's no way Memphis can catch Dallas for the fifth seed and will move to No. 6.
INSIDER PREDICTION: Mavericks 5th; Grizzlies 6th.
Around the League
Tanking? The quest for a few more lottery balls: There was outrage among some readers to our story last month about teams tanking it the last month of the season. Since we wrote the story, Celtics head man Danny Ainge actually came out and said he wished his team would do it (they didn't), and the Cavs came out forcefully and said they wouldn't (they did).
The stakes were highest in the East, where the eighth playoff seed earns the 15th pick in the draft, while the last team out of the playoffs gets no worse than the 10th pick. In this day and age, the five-spot difference is huge.
Cleveland also had another incentive to go 2-11 over its last 13 games. Had the Cavs made the playoffs, they would've been forced to turn their first-round pick over to the Phoenix Suns as part of the 1998 trade that brought Wesley Person to Cleveland. That was a pretty big incentive to stay out of the playoffs one more year. We're not saying they tanked or anything, but 2-11 down the stretch? Wow.
Of course, the Cavs have nothing on the Clippers and Magic, both losers of 13 straight to end the season. The Magic haven't won a game since March 10, when they beat the lowly Wizards at home. The Clippers' last win came March 17 against the pitiful Suns. Overall the Clippers are just 2-21 since February 27.
The Raptors, not wanting to feel left out, have won just once in their last 10 games.
The result? Orlando absolutely will have the best chance of landing the No. 1 pick in the draft. Even with two wins to end the season (what are the chances?), they'll finish with the worst record in the NBA and a 25-percent chance of winning the lottery.
The Clippers are currently tied for the fifth position in the draft (along with the Hawks) and have a 12-percent chance of winning the lottery. The Raptors have also moved up the lottery charts and currently are in line for the eighth pick in the draft and have a 4.4 percent chance of winning the lottery.
Peep Show
NBA Insider
Monday, April 12
Updated: April 12
8:35 AM ET
Garnett
Minnesota Timberwolves: Contrary to popular belief in Minnesota, KG is not changing his initials to MVP. "It does feel good," Kevin Garnett said in the Star Tribune about the outdoor MVP signs around town. "I've seen them. It's kind of cool man; it's kind of cool that, you know, not only the organization's showing love but, you know, the city and everybody showing love -- so it's cool." And he doesn't feel bad about holding out for money after signing that $100 million extension over five years in October. "You know I don't regret anything," he said. "You know I take everything with a thinking process. You can't regret any decisions. You know I'm happy that I'm here. And not only that, but I'm fortunate, so I'm looking forward to the next five years."
Orlando Magic: Head coach Johnny Davis sure doesn't sound like a guy on his way out in Orlando. "If we don't come with the commitment needed to win -- that's either individually or collectively -- then we'll find guys who want to play, that want to compete. It's as simple as that," he said in the Orlando Sentinel. "I know it has been a long year and a disappointing year, but you still have to be professional. You still have to play with pride. You still owe it to yourself and to your fans and just the essence of basketball to come out and perform in a competitive fashion."
Dallas Mavericks: Head coach Don Nelson would rather Michael Finley return to the team sooner rather than later. "His first game back from an injury is usually a disaster," Nelson said in the Dallas Morning News. "We'd prefer him to play in the last couple." Finley has missed the last two games with bruised ribs.
Mutombo
New York Knicks: Dikembe Mutombo has been down this road before. "I just want to let my teammates know that I am ready, and I'm going to be there for them when we're going to the playoffs," Mutombo said in Newsday. "It's been a long time since I got a chance to play again, almost a month and a half. I just want to prove myself as a better defensive player again. It's getting there, almost 99 percent there." And he can't wait to get back in the game. "I want to do that," Mutombo said. "That's something I'm working on, and I'm glad with the response I'm getting from the coaches. It's very positive. Lenny even told me that every time I'm on the court, I'm changing the game, and I'm very pleased to hear that from Coach."
Atlanta Hawks: After 135 games as the head coach of the Hawks, Terry Stotts still doesn't know if he's coming or going. "It goes with the territory," Stotts said in the Atlanta Journal Constitution. "Every year, there is speculation about half the coaches in the NBA [being fired]. That's part of the job. It used to be if you were a non-playoff team. Now if you're a playoff team it's present." Despite the 51-84 record, Stotts is the longest enured coach in the Eastern Conference. "He's done a tremendous job with what he's had to deal with," point guard Jason Terry said. "Other than the one minor setback, we've been fine. He's a good coach. He lets you play, and freedom is the key. Hey, the new ownership is in place and he's our coach. That's how we take it."
* Garnett has no regrets for signing extension
Sid Hartman / Minneapolis Star Tribune
* 'Dysfunction' aside, Davis' job secure
Brian Schmitz / Orlando Sentinel
* Finley sits out again
Eddie Sefko / Dallas Morning News
* Mutombo relishes chance in postseason
Greg Logan / Newsday
* Stotts' year, possibly job, at end
Michael Lee / Atlanta Journal-Constitution
By Chad Ford
NBA Insider
Send an Email to Chad Ford Monday, April 12
Updated: April 12
10:59 AM ET
# Mock Lottery, Mock Draft: See 1,716 potential lottery scenarios
The Portsmouth Invitational ended Saturday along with the NBA dreams of many college seniors. Scouts and league executives identified only a handful of players who have a shot at getting drafted.
Only a few of the top players from Portsmouth actually will be invited to the NBA Pre-Draft Camp in Chicago. Most of the top seniors who skipped the PIT will play in Chicago. So will many of the bubble underclassmen and foreign players. That leaves anywhere from 10-12 Chicago slots for PIT players. In the next few weeks, each team will send the NBA a list of the 60 players it would like to see in Chicago. The NBA tabulates the results, and the players with the most votes get invitations.
After talking with numerous NBA scouts and league executives, here's a look at the PIT players with the best chance to get a coveted invitation to the Chicago Pre-Draft Camp, which opens June 1:
Brown
Andre Brown, PF, DePaul: The former McDonald's All-American had a lackluster four years at DePaul, but he did a lot to make up for that by averaging 18.3 ppg and 10.6 rpg at the PIT. In a draft where big men come at a premium, Brown's size, athleticism and ability to clean the glass will earn him another long look in Chicago and the chance to become a second-round pick.
Bryant Matthews, SF, Virginia Tech: He led the Big East in scoring last year, averaging 22 points and 9 rebounds. He's a big time athlete who, unfortunately, had to spend much of his time at Virginia Tech playing in the paint. He rarely shot 3s or handled the ball. That earned him the knock as an undersized power forward -- a death knell in the NBA. However, his coach at Tech, Seth Greenberg, claims he was forced to play Matthews inside, because he needed a player who could draw a double team. "He can do more than that." He proved that at the PIT by handling the ball and shooting well (though his 3-point shot was still coming up short). His 18 ppg were enough to give him another look in Chicago.
Nigel Dixon, C, Western Kentucky: His numbers at the PIT don't jump out at you, but Dixon was the most legit NBA center prospect here. He has great size and uses it to his advantage. He's still raw, and scouts will always worry about his weight (he ballooned to more than 400 pounds a few years ago), but he does what too few college big men can do these days -- bang in the paint. If he stays in shape, he'll be a sleeper.
Farmer
Desmon Farmer, G, Southern California: Farmer's energy, combined with a scintillating 29-point performance at the PIT and a solid career at USC, will earn him a spot in Chicago. The biggest knock on Farmer throughout his career has been his perimeter shooting (he went 0-12 vs. Arizona from the collegiate 3-point line in the last game of the season). He's been working on his shot, and it showed in Portsmouth. If he can get it falling in Chicago, he's an intriguing second-round pick.
Nate Williams, C, Georgia State: Williams showed great talent in his four years at Georgia State. What he lacked was consistent effort on both ends of the floor. His 19 ppg and 7.5 rpg here should be enough to get him a second look in Chicago. He's still not a great rebounder and still needs to add more strength, but he has upside. There are very few seniors you can say that about these days.
Michel Morandais, SG, Colorado: Morandais is another athletic kid who proved to be one of the most reliable scoring options at the PIT. Morandais led all scorers here, averaging 20.6 ppg and 6.3 rpg. Morandais is a great athlete who has a tremendous in-between game, a la Richard Hamilton. The fact he already is 24 years old may scare away some folks, however.
Burks
Antonio Burks, PG, Memphis: Burks didn't have the best tournament, but a 16-point, 10-assist game Saturday went a long way for scouts. Regardless of how he played here, many scouts believe he's a legit NBA prospect. He'll get another shot in Chicago and is a likely second-round pick.
Ricky Minard, SG, Morehead State: Minard had two big-time scoring performances and ended the tournament averaging 17.3 ppg. The biggest question with him is position. He's 6-foot-4 (if that) and has played the two spot for most of his career. He's an excellent ball handler and knows how to find the open man (he averaged 5.1 apg). Could he make the flip to point guard in the pros? One scout claimed Minard reminded him a little of Ronald Murray -- a PIT darling two years ago.
Jackson Vroman, C, Iowa State: Vroman was the best-scoring big man in the group, averaging 19.3 ppg and 8.3 rpg for the tournament. The questions about size and athleticism will haunt him in the draft however. Vroman is only 6-10 and doesn't have the quickness to play anywhere but in the paint.
Erik Daniels, SF, Kentucky: Daniels, like Kentucky's two other seniors, got lost in Tubby Smith's system and is now trying to emerge from the scrum. He averaged 16 ppg in the tournament and drew praise for his hustle, defense and knowledge of the game. He's a good athlete but will have to improve his strength and perimeter shooting to have a real shot at getting drafted.
Luis Flores, PG/SG, Manhattan: Flores did little to show he was a point guard here, but he's such a great, quick scorer that he's sure to get another look in Chicago. The Bobby Jackson comparisons won't stop, which means lots of people will take a serious look at him in Chicago.
Nuggets, Jazz in a scrum for last playoff spot
By Chad Ford
NBA Insider
Send an Email to Chad Ford Monday, April 12
Updated: April 12
11:10 AM ET
The NBA season has boiled down to this. Three days to determine a season, the fate of several coaches, the playoff aspirations of thousands of fans and the race for the coveted NBA Championship.
The Celtics locked up the last playoff berth in the East on Sunday night, despite winning a pitiful 35 games this season and losing their last four.
Out West, seven of the top eight spots are now locked down, with the Jazz and Nuggets tied for eighth place and the Blazers just one game out.
In addition for the race to make the playoffs, several teams in both conferences are working frantically to position themselves to be able to have some staying power in the postseason.
In the East, the Hornets, Bucks and Heat are in a three-team race to avoid the Pistons in Round 1.
Out West, very little is settled at this point. With the exception of the Rockets, who are locked into the seventh spot, everything is up for grabs.
Insider breaks down the playoff race as we head into the home stretch:
Jerry Sloan has the Jazz poised to earn the No. 8 seed in the West.
# Who will round out the elite eight in the West? The Nuggets and Jazz are both at 42 wins with two games left. The Blazers are one game behind them at 41 wins and have the most difficult task. The only way Portland makes the playoffs at this point is by winning their last two games (at home against the Spurs and Lakers) and hoping the Nuggets and Jazz each lose both of their games. Since the Nuggets and Jazz both own tie breakers against the Blazers, it's the only way.
More likely, this will come down to a two-team battle between the Nuggets and Jazz. Denver has the toughest road to travel despite owning the tie breaker with the Jazz. The Nuggets play the Kings at home Monday, then travel to San Antonio on Wednesday for the last game of the season. They need to win at least one to survive. The problem is, both the Spurs and Kings are still playing for playoff position. Neither is on cruise control, despite having clinched playoff berths.
If the Nuggets lose both, Wednesday night's Jazz finale in Utah becomes huge. The Jazz get a huge break in the form of a home game against the Suns, the second-worst team in the West. Utah also plays Monday night at Minnesota, which probably will be a loss, so look for this to go to the wire on Wednesday. If the Jazz win, they're likely in. If they lose, the Nuggets will slide in by default -- unless, that is, the Blazers find a way to beat both the Spurs and Lakers this week.
INSIDER PREDICTION: Utah makes the playoffs as the No. 8 seed.
# Who will face the Pistons in Round 1? With all eight playoff spots secured in the East, we turn to a pretty nasty battle among three teams to avoid the dreaded No. 6 seed and the honor of playing the Pistons, the hottest team in the East right now.
Right now the Hornets are stuck in sixth, with the Heat fifth and the Bucks fourth. Milwaukee owns the tie breaker over the Heat; the Heat own the tie breaker over the Hornets; and the Hornets own the tie breaker over the Bucks. Got that?
Milwaukee has a one-game lead over both the Heat and Hornets. One more win (at Cleveland or at home vs. the Raptors) combined with a Hornets loss, and the Bucks secure the fourth seed and home-court advantage in the first round.
The fight for the fifth seed will be tougher. Miami and New Orleans have identical records, and the Heat own the tie breaker. However, Miami has a tougher schedule, playing at Boston on Monday and at home vs. the Nets on Wednesday. New Orleans plays the Knicks at home Monday and ends the season at Washington. The Hornets have their own worries though. They likely will be without Baron Davis and Darrell Armstrong for both games.
INSIDER PREDICTION: Bucks 4th; Heat 5th, Hornets 6th.
Tim Duncan and coach Gregg Popovich might have to settle for the No. 4 seed.
# Who's No. 1 in the West? The Kings scored a huge win Sunday over the Lakers, putting them a game ahead of L.A. for the lead in the Pacific Division. Since the Kings also own the tie breaker with the Lakers, one more win will secure, at the very least, the division title and No. 2 seed.
Can they get get to No. 1? Minnesota is game ahead of both Sacramento and San Antonio right now with two games remaining (at home vs. the Jazz and at Memphis). One more win will knock the Kings out of contention for the top seed. However, the Wolves will need two wins, or a San Antonio loss, to hold off the Spurs, because San Antonio holds the tie breaker between the two teams.
The Kings have the easiest schedule, although both games are on the road -- at Denver and at Golden State. The Spurs really need to win both of their games (at Portland and home vs. the Nuggets) to keep from slipping to No. 3, and they could slip all the way to fourth if the Lakers win both of their games (at Golden State and at Portland). However, the Lakers have been a marginal team on the road this season.
INSIDER PREDICTION: Wolves 1st; Kings 2nd; Lakers 3rd; Spurs 4th.
# The Grizzlies or the Mavs? At this point, the difference between the fifth and sixth seeds in the West is marginal, at best. Pick your poison: If things play out the way we predict, the No. 5 seed will face the defending champion Spurs, while the No. 6 seed gets the two-time world champion Lakers. Right now the Grizzlies and Mavs are locked in a dead heat for No. 5, with the Grizzlies owning the tie-breaker.
But this one will be decided Tuesday night, when the two meet head-to-head in Dallas. The Grizzlies are on a four-game win streak, and the Mavs have the best home record in the NBA so ... do the math. If the Mavs win, they take both a one-game lead over the Grizzlies and clinch the tie-breaker. That means there's no way Memphis can catch Dallas for the fifth seed and will move to No. 6.
INSIDER PREDICTION: Mavericks 5th; Grizzlies 6th.
Around the League
Tanking? The quest for a few more lottery balls: There was outrage among some readers to our story last month about teams tanking it the last month of the season. Since we wrote the story, Celtics head man Danny Ainge actually came out and said he wished his team would do it (they didn't), and the Cavs came out forcefully and said they wouldn't (they did).
The stakes were highest in the East, where the eighth playoff seed earns the 15th pick in the draft, while the last team out of the playoffs gets no worse than the 10th pick. In this day and age, the five-spot difference is huge.
Cleveland also had another incentive to go 2-11 over its last 13 games. Had the Cavs made the playoffs, they would've been forced to turn their first-round pick over to the Phoenix Suns as part of the 1998 trade that brought Wesley Person to Cleveland. That was a pretty big incentive to stay out of the playoffs one more year. We're not saying they tanked or anything, but 2-11 down the stretch? Wow.
Of course, the Cavs have nothing on the Clippers and Magic, both losers of 13 straight to end the season. The Magic haven't won a game since March 10, when they beat the lowly Wizards at home. The Clippers' last win came March 17 against the pitiful Suns. Overall the Clippers are just 2-21 since February 27.
The Raptors, not wanting to feel left out, have won just once in their last 10 games.
The result? Orlando absolutely will have the best chance of landing the No. 1 pick in the draft. Even with two wins to end the season (what are the chances?), they'll finish with the worst record in the NBA and a 25-percent chance of winning the lottery.
The Clippers are currently tied for the fifth position in the draft (along with the Hawks) and have a 12-percent chance of winning the lottery. The Raptors have also moved up the lottery charts and currently are in line for the eighth pick in the draft and have a 4.4 percent chance of winning the lottery.
Peep Show
NBA Insider
Monday, April 12
Updated: April 12
8:35 AM ET
Garnett
Minnesota Timberwolves: Contrary to popular belief in Minnesota, KG is not changing his initials to MVP. "It does feel good," Kevin Garnett said in the Star Tribune about the outdoor MVP signs around town. "I've seen them. It's kind of cool man; it's kind of cool that, you know, not only the organization's showing love but, you know, the city and everybody showing love -- so it's cool." And he doesn't feel bad about holding out for money after signing that $100 million extension over five years in October. "You know I don't regret anything," he said. "You know I take everything with a thinking process. You can't regret any decisions. You know I'm happy that I'm here. And not only that, but I'm fortunate, so I'm looking forward to the next five years."
Orlando Magic: Head coach Johnny Davis sure doesn't sound like a guy on his way out in Orlando. "If we don't come with the commitment needed to win -- that's either individually or collectively -- then we'll find guys who want to play, that want to compete. It's as simple as that," he said in the Orlando Sentinel. "I know it has been a long year and a disappointing year, but you still have to be professional. You still have to play with pride. You still owe it to yourself and to your fans and just the essence of basketball to come out and perform in a competitive fashion."
Dallas Mavericks: Head coach Don Nelson would rather Michael Finley return to the team sooner rather than later. "His first game back from an injury is usually a disaster," Nelson said in the Dallas Morning News. "We'd prefer him to play in the last couple." Finley has missed the last two games with bruised ribs.
Mutombo
New York Knicks: Dikembe Mutombo has been down this road before. "I just want to let my teammates know that I am ready, and I'm going to be there for them when we're going to the playoffs," Mutombo said in Newsday. "It's been a long time since I got a chance to play again, almost a month and a half. I just want to prove myself as a better defensive player again. It's getting there, almost 99 percent there." And he can't wait to get back in the game. "I want to do that," Mutombo said. "That's something I'm working on, and I'm glad with the response I'm getting from the coaches. It's very positive. Lenny even told me that every time I'm on the court, I'm changing the game, and I'm very pleased to hear that from Coach."
Atlanta Hawks: After 135 games as the head coach of the Hawks, Terry Stotts still doesn't know if he's coming or going. "It goes with the territory," Stotts said in the Atlanta Journal Constitution. "Every year, there is speculation about half the coaches in the NBA [being fired]. That's part of the job. It used to be if you were a non-playoff team. Now if you're a playoff team it's present." Despite the 51-84 record, Stotts is the longest enured coach in the Eastern Conference. "He's done a tremendous job with what he's had to deal with," point guard Jason Terry said. "Other than the one minor setback, we've been fine. He's a good coach. He lets you play, and freedom is the key. Hey, the new ownership is in place and he's our coach. That's how we take it."
* Garnett has no regrets for signing extension
Sid Hartman / Minneapolis Star Tribune
* 'Dysfunction' aside, Davis' job secure
Brian Schmitz / Orlando Sentinel
* Finley sits out again
Eddie Sefko / Dallas Morning News
* Mutombo relishes chance in postseason
Greg Logan / Newsday
* Stotts' year, possibly job, at end
Michael Lee / Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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