The Jazz and Wolves play in the same division, and even though Jefferson had requested a trade, I’m not sure sending him to a division rival was a wise thing to do. There was no way he could coexist in the same as Kevin Love, and  wiping away Jefferson’s $13 million opens the door to substantial cap space.

For the Jazz Jefferson is the younger replacement for the lost of Carlos Boozer to the Bulls. Jefferson averaged 23.1 points and 11 rebounds in the 50 games before he was injured in 2009.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Zydrunas Ilgauskas is following LeBron James to the Miami Heat. The two-time All-Star, after being with the Cavaliers for 14 seasons, will sign a one-year deal for $2.8 million, second year expected to be a player option

. “I’ve been a loyal soldier for 14 years. I just feel it’s time for me to go and chase my dream of winning a ring.” Ilgauskas said.

I wonder if Z is aware that Cavs owner Dan Gilbert assured Cavs fans that they would have a championship title before LeBron.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Charlotte Bobcats send Tyson Chandler and Alexis Ajinca to Dallas for Erick Dampier, Eduardo Najera, Matt Carroll and cash considerations.

The Bobcats were close to a deal getting Jose Calderon from Toronto, but after that deal fell through they made this strange decision.Najera, and Carroll are owed a combined $17.1 million over the next three years. Why MJ, why?

By adding Chandler, the Mavs retain the rights to a top defensive center. Additionally, he has a $12 million expiring contract, which gives the Mavs maximum flexibility to pursue other trades during the course of the season.

The Madison Square Garden Theater was ready for draft night as early as 4 am, when fans begin to line up to assure they had a seat when the $15 tickets went on sale at 11 am. Fans from across the country were in attendance to cheer for their respective teams, and boo Commissioner David Stern every time he walked out to the podium. The Chicago Bulls stole some of the early shine by proposing the trade of Kirk Hinrich to the Wizards. Not to be outdone by the Bulls, the Portland Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen decided to part ways with GM Kevin Pritchard on draft night, but let him still make draft decisions….?  The 2010 NBA Draft went pretty much as expected early, with the exception of the Utah Jazz stealing Gordon Hayward from the Pacers. The University of Kentucky set a record with 5 first round selections.

Here is a break-down of pick #1-#15:

First pick, Washington Wizards: John Wall, 6-4, 195, Kentucky, point guard.: The lock No. 1 pick, Wall has been called the most electrifying player in this year’s draft. A product of the John Calipari one-and-done mold, Wall averaged 16 points, six boards and four dimes. Wall brings the Wizards superior speed, athleticism, and late-game shot making, plus a relief from the circus of last year.

Second pick, Philadelphia 76ers: Evan Turner, 6-7, 205, Ohio State, guard. There was nothing Turner didn’t do for Ohio State, and he’s the most dynamic player in the draft. He averaged 20 points, 9 boards, and 6 dimes last season. With a good game around the basket and a solid midrange shot, Turner only needs to work on his outside shooting and ball handling. He shot 36% from three-point range and turned the ball over 4.4 times per game. Doug Collins new head coach of the 76ers gets another chance to coach a future superstar as he did in Chicago with MJ.

Third pick, New Jersey Nets: Derrick Favors, 6-10, 246, Georgia Tech, forward. A rare athlete who can explode from the floor, he’s also got a massive 7-4 wingspan. Though raw, he has shown signs of being a dominant force on both ends. He needs to add weight, improve his conditioning/shooting/ball handling and learn to play against double-teams, but he should become a special player.

Fourth pick, Minnesota Timberwoves: Wesley Johnson, 6-7, 205, Syracuse, forward. A lottery-level talent that is NBA-ready, he’s an explosive athlete who has a good mid-range game and can finish at the rim. He’s a good teammate and an underrated passer, but last season’s Big East Player of the Year needs to add weight and be more aggressive when his jumper isn’t falling. Wesley was also best-dressed.

Fifth pick, Sacramento Kings: DeMarcus Cousins, 6-11, 270, Kentucky, power forward/center. A top-five talent, with excellent athleticism, offensive and defensive skills, he’s a nightmare matchup. Many tend to be critical of his maturity, but, he was one of the best players in the country last season (15.1 points, 9.8 boards).

Sixth pick, Golden State Warriors: Ekpe Udoh, 6-10, 240, Baylor, forward. Udoh was one of the reasons Baylor emerged in the Elite 8 to face off with eventual-champion Duke. His ability to run the floor in a fast-paced offensive possession or hit a midrange shot in the half-court game led to 13 points, 9.8 boards and 3.7 blocks. He needs to improve his overall offensive game, ball-handling and add some weight.

Seventh pick, Detroit Pistons: Greg Monroe, 6-11, 253, Georgetown, forward. A huge upside–some call him a less-athletic Lamar Odom. Monroe can play with his back to the basket or face up. He averaged 16.1 points and 9.6 boards last season, and also dished 12 assists against Providence, the most by a center in Big East Conference history. Needs to prove he can dominate a game, and develop a more consistent jump shot.

Eighth pick, Clippers: Al-Farouq Aminu, 6-9, 215, Wake Forest, power forward. One of the best athletes in the draft; he uses his explosive first step to get to the bucket. He became a double-double player last season (15.8, 10.7), but is turnover prone (3.2 per game last season) and lacks ball-handling skills, relying too often on his athleticism. Still, a fine pick for an up-tempo team.

Ninth pick, Utah Jazz: Gordon Hayward, 6-8, 207, Butler, forward. He led the Bulldogs on their magical run to the NCAA title game and has a high basketball IQ, an outstanding touch (84% from free-throw line) and sneaky athleticism. He lacks post moves and will need to improve his defense in the NBA. Some question his lack of aggressiveness.

10th pick, Indiana Pacers: Paul George, 6-8, 210, Fresno State, forward. A great athlete who has deep range on his jump shot, rebounds well and can run the floor, NBA teams covet players with his size and skill set. Needs to improve his ball-handling and learn to not settle for the outside shot, but he’s an enticing player.

11th pick, New Orleans Hornets: Cole Aldrich, 6-11, 245, Kansas, center. A throwback-style big man that has good footwork and an awkward-but-efficient shooting touch, he’s also a strong shot blocker (averaged 3.5 last season) and cleans the glass well (10.5 boards his last two seasons). While not terribly athletic and fairly calm, a la Tim Duncan, Aldrich possesses strong fundamentals and better-than-average vision for his size.

12th pick, Memphis Grizzlies: Xavier Henry, 6-6, 220, Kansas, shooting guard. The smoothest player in the draft, he moves effortlessly and is a natural scorer who is deadly from outside (40%). He can slash if he needs to and finish at the rim, but he often relies on his left hand too much and can settle for outside shots. At times, he looks passive; at others, fiercely competitive.

13th pick, Toronto Raptors: Ed Davis, 6-10, 225, North Carolina, forward. After being overshadowed by Tyler Hansbrough, Davis had a breakout freshman year (13.4 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.8 blocks) and showcased his potential as one of the top talents. Long, athletic, with several post moves and speed to run the floor, the main knock against him is his lack of strength  he also needs a reliable jump shot  but his upside is huge.

14th pick, Houston Rockets: Patrick Patterson, 6-9, 235, Kentucky, forward. One of the more NBA-ready forwards in the draft, he made significant improvements to his game in his junior season, including becoming an outside threat (35% from behind the arc) and a defensive presence (1.3 blocks per game). His intelligence, maturity and ability to learn should help him on the next level, though he’s still undersized to be a power forward, which is exactly what Houston loves.

15th pick, Milwaukee Bucks: Larry Sanders, 6-11, 235, VCU, forward. One of the most athletic players in this draft, Sanders had a breakout season as a sophomore, when he averaged 2.7 blocks per game. As a junior, he averaged 14.4 points, 9.1 boards and 2.6 blocks. He still has some developing to do, but his combination of size and speed give him plenty of potential.

The team’s primary colors will now be navy blue, yellow and green, and the team introduced its retro-looking J-note logo. The new J-note will be the primary logo but the team will keep its mountain landscape logo and use it periodically throughout the season, which will incorporate the new color scheme.

Fans will get their first chance to see the Jazz’s new court at the draft-day party on June 24. The team will unveil the new uniforms Aug. 16.

(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

The Magic defeated the Hawks by a combined 101 points en route to their second straight sweep this postseason beating the Atlanta Hawks 98-84. Vince Carter scored 22 points, Rashard Lewis scored 17 points, knocking down four 3-pointers. Mickael Pietrus scored 12 points all from deep. Orlando made 16 of 37 shots from beyond the arc.  The Magic shot 55 percent from the field and never trailed during either game in Atlanta.

Orlando became the third team in the past six years to sweep its first two best-of-seven series, joining Miami (2005) and Cleveland (2009), and the Magic have defeated the Hawks in 10 of their last 11 meetings.

Joe Johnson finished off a miserable series by scoring only 14 points on 5-of-15 shooting. He was booed by the home crowd at the start of the game and got the same treatment when he went to the bench with 3:51 to play. The fans were still miffed that he said didn’t care if they “showed up or not” after they heckled the team in a 30-point loss on Saturday. Josh Smith had 16 points, and Jamal Crawford scored 18 points.

Overall a sad, and disappointing performance for the Hawks in the 2nd Round. Joe Johnson is a free agent, head coach Mike Woodsen contract is up, and Mike Bibby had his remaining bit of skills completely sapped by Jameer Nelson.

Magic await the winner of Celtics-Cavs, which is tied 2-2. Orlando eliminated both teams in last years playoffs.

(Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

LAKERS BIG ~ utah small. For the 3rd year in a row the Lakers eliminate the Jazz from the Playoffs with a 111-96 victory, in a four game sweep. The Lakers curbed the Jazz’s hopes of extending the series by pulling ahead by 22 in the second quarter. Utah got within five in the third, but couldn’t sustain the comeback. Kobe Bryant finished with 32 points, the 5th straight playoff game in which Kobe’s scored at least 30. Pau Gasol had a season-high 33 points shooting 61% from the field in the series. Utah was swept for the first time in franchise history.

Deron Williams had 21 points and 9 dimes, but was 0-7 from beyond the arc. Paul Milsap had 21 points off the bench, and Carlos Boozer finshed with 10 points, and 13 boards. Boozer is a free agent and with Milsap scoring more then him in an elimination game, off the bench probably seals his fate in Utah.

The Lakers and Suns play Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, Monday May, 17th in Los Angeles.

(AP Photo/Paul Abell)

The Orlando Magic had every reason to be concerned heading into Game 3 against the Atlanta Hawks. Atlanta had been blown out in the previous two games, it was their first home game, and Joe Johnson, and Josh Smith have yet to play at their normal level. All the concern for the Magic subsided early after being up  52-33 at the half. Rashard Lewis scored 22 points and the backups helped Orlando pull away early with Howard on the bench as the Magic romped to another playoff blowout, moving to the brink of their second straight sweep with a 105-75 win.

Howard had 21 points and 16 rebounds, on 6 of 8 shooting. He went 9-18 from the free throw line. Magic dominated the boards, finishing with a 51-34 rebounding edge. But their margin was largely piled up on all those Atlanta misses. Orlando had a 41-22 lead in defensive rebounds.and won each game by an average margin of 29 points.

Hawks shot only 35 percent (29 of 83), Joe Johnson made only 3 of 15 attempts to finish with eight points. Jamal Crawford led the Hawks with 22 points. The Hawks are now forced to play the “one game at a time” scenario, but it is painfully obvious this series is over. Magic lead series 3-0

(Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Los Angeles Lakers have a multitude of weapons, one of them Ron Artest had been struggling from deep the entire playoffs. In Game 3 he demonstrated just how effective he can be scoring 20 points, making 4 of 7 threes as the Lakers won a nail-bitter 111-110, to take a 3-0 series lead over the Jazz.

Kobe Bryant had 35 points, 7 dimes, Pau Gasol had 14 points and 17 boards, and Derek Fisher scored 20 points in his best game offensively this entire postseason. Down the stretch the Lakers As expected the free throw disparity flipped in the Jazz favor 31 to 19.

The Jazz had two chances to win it in the final 4 seconds, but Deron Williams missed from the top of the key and Wesley Matthews’ tip just before the buzzer bounced off the rim. Williams scored 28 and Kyle Korver added a career playoff-high 23 points for the Jazz. “We kept fight and battling.” Coach of the Jazz Jerry Sloan said, “When your down, you just gonna quit, I hope our guys don’t, I would be disappointed with them as people if they didn’t come and play as hard as they can.” Lakers lead series 3-0.

(Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)

Game 2 between the Lakers and Jazz seemed identical to Game 1. Lakers dominate throughout but unable to silence the Jazz completely, letting them hang around the entire game.  Lakers won 111-103 making it 16 straight home victories against the Jazz. Kobe Bryant led all scores with 30 points and 8 dimes. The Lakers BIGS dominated inside out rebounded the Jazz 58-40 and had 13 blocks(Kobe had 3 of those). The Lakers free throw lead in the first two games will definitly decline heading to Utah. I myself cant wait to see how Ron Artest’s performs in front of the Jazz crowd.

Paul Milsap led all Jazz scorers with 26 points off the bench. Boozer and CJ Miles had 20 points each, but the 4 of 16 shooting from Deron Williams leading to 15 points is not the output the Jazz need from their best player. Lakers lead series 2-0

(Photo by Doug Benc/Getty Images)

Orlando had seven days to rest before the Hawks rolled into town. The Hawks are 48-hours removed from besting the Bucks in 7 games. It was OBVIOUS which team was prepared. Howard had 21 points and 12 rebounds in one of the most crushing playoff wins in Magic history, a 114-71 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday night in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal. This game was over at halftime when the Magic led 53-33.

Howard added five blocks and avoided the fouls and frustration that overwhelmed him in the first round, helping the Magic go ahead by as many as 46 points. Vince Carter finished with 20 points.

Josh Smith scored 14 points and Zaza Pachulia had 12 points. “It was an ugly game for us,” Hawks coach Mike Woodson said. “I wish I knew what happened.” The fewest points an opponent has ever scored against Orlando in a playoff game was 68. The 43-point win was the Magic’s second-largest margin of victory in a playoff game all-time and tied for the second-largest margin of victory in NBA history in Game 1 of a best-of-7 series. It was the Hawks’ second-worst loss in their postseason history (worst is 58-point loss to the Lakers in 1956). Orlando lead series 1-0

Jamal Crawford scored 22 points on 8 for 16 shooting. Horford worked hard at both ends of the court, finishing with 16 points and 15 rebounds. Mike Bibby, and Josh Smith both scored 15 points. Hawks leader Joe Johnson was held to 8 points on 4 of 14 shooting. Hawks out rebounded the Bucks 55 to 34.

Hawks now head to Orlando on Tuesday to face the Magic that have been waiting since last Monday.

(Photo by Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images)

Milwaukee was an entirely diffrent team in the last two games compared to Game 2, 3, and 4. The short-handed Bucks made less than a third of their shots (28 of 86) and simply didn’t have enough weapons to cope with an Atlanta team that was into the game. Brandon Jennings led the way with just 15 points, and he needed 18 shots to score that many. Salmons finished with 11 points.

Still, it was a promising season for the Bucks, who made the playoffs for the first time since 2006 with a promising nucleus of Jennings, John Salmons and Andrew Bogut.

(Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Lakers Jazz game was in a way, rudely interrupted by the presentation of the MVP trophy to LeBron James. Fortunately for those watching the MVP presentation all they missed was the usual Lakers game. Someone from the Lakers shoots followed by an offensive rebound from one of the Lakers bigs and a put-back similar to the end of the Lakers-Thunder series. Lakers blew a 14 point lead letting the Jazz back in it with 4 minutes to play in the game, but finish on a 15-6 leading to a 104-99  win in Game 1. The Lakers have now won 15 straight home games against the Jazz.

Kobe Bryant finished wih 31 points on 12 of 19 shooting, 13 of those points came in the 4th quarter. Pau Gasol had 25 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, and 5 blocks. Lakers BIGs Odom, Gasol, and Bynum combined for 34 rebounds, the entire Jazz team had 38 rebounds.

In order for the Jazz to win they will need tremendous play from Williams, Boozer, and the entire bench. Williams had 24 points and 8 assists, Boozer had 18 points and 12 boards, and Paul Milsap finished with 16 points and 9 boards. Lakers lead series 1-0

(AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)

Atlanta Hawks with a must win on the road played with more then they have all Playoffs. After a closely contested first half, the Hawks outscored the Bucks 29-11 in the third quarter and held on to win 83-69. Atlanta got 22 points from Joe Johnson and Sixth Man of the Year Jamal Crawford finished with 24 points.“The bottom line today is we brought our hard hats and not our fishing caps,” Smith said. “We established ourselves early. They gave us a fight, but we were just hungry tonight. I haven’t seen us play like this the whole series.” Atlanta heads back to the Philips Center where the city will turn down Wacka Flocka Flame on the radio and tune into the Hawks game.

Milwaukee had a chance to finish off the Hawks at home and advance to the Eastern Conf. Semifinals, instead they left their offense in the locker room. Bucks shot 25 of 76 from the field for 32.9%, and 7 of 26 from deep. John Slamons and Brandon Jennings combined for 20 points on 6 of 28 shooting. Carlos Delfino had 20 and was the only player with more then 13 points. Bucks. Milwaukee may have to put the blame solely on Jerry Stackhouse for this:

Stackhouse said it was his fourth time singing the national anthem. “I’m a little disappointed that my mojo didn’t work,” he said. “I’m 3-1 now.”  Series tied 3-3.

(AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Once again the Lakers came out fired up, jumping out to a 13-4 lead, before the Thunder woke up to gain the lead 27-26 by the end of the first. After a back and fourth game, it came down to the final possession. Kobe missed a fade-away jumper and Pau Gasol was there to tip the ball in with .05 on the clock given the Lakers a1-point lead. Kobe lead all scorers with 32 points, and the only other Lakers in double figures were Derek Fisher, and Shannon Brown both with 11.

Ron Artest’s defense on Kevin Durant was the x-factor in this game and the series. Durant shot 5 of 23, for 26 points, which came mostly from the charity stripe where he went 14-15. Jeff Green had 16 in his best game of the series, and Russell Westbrook was solid with 21 points and 9 assists. Thunder were unable to execute with less then a minute left and the lead, allowing the Lakers multiple chances to win the game. Phil Jackson came up with an unexpected answer to a question about why visiting teams are generally more vulnerable. “You have to remember these men are out there in their underwear, in their shorts. These aren’t like the old days but they are pretty scantily clad, and they are, you know, in front of their fans. If you’re at all self-conscious, there you are.”

After a 50-win season and their first appearance in the playoffs, Oklahoma City gave the city and their fans an exciting and competitive series against the Lakers.

(Photo by Garrett W. Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)

In the most disappointing series of this years playoffs, the Nuggets got completely embarrassed by the Utah Jazz. the above pic describes the awkwardness of this entire series. Denver was without its head coach George Karl as everyone in the world knows, and it had to affect the team in a major way. They seemed easily shook, and out of sorts on defense. Chauncey Billups led Denver with 30 points and Anthony finished with 20 points on 6 for 22 shooting.

After Carmelo’s explosion in Game 1 the Jazz won three straight and ended the series in Game 6 in front of their fans 112-104. 91 combined free throws were attempted…damn! Matthews went 13 for 15 from the free throw line.

Deron Williams had 14 points, and 10 dimes. Boozer had 22 points and 20 boards. Utah now heads to Los Angeles for a rematch of last years Round 1 matchup where the Jazz where dismissed in 5 games. Lakers were without Bynum, and the addition of Artest should be too much for the Jazz.

(Photo by Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images)

In Game 5 of the Hawks-Bucks series, the Bucks did something they hadn’t done since April 21st of 2004, win a road playoff game. Brandon Jennings had 25 points, John Salmons added 19 and the Bucks down by as much as 13 fought back to win 91-87. The Bucks did what the Thunder were trying to do yesterday, win Game 5 on the road after winning both home games. Bucks can clinch Friday at the Bradley Center.

Atlanta appears to be in free-fall mode. They played a good game but Joe Johnson fouling out with over 2 minutes to go, left the Hawks out of sorts down the stretch. Joe Johnson shot 6 of 16 for 13 points and Sixth Man of the Year Jamal Crawford was 4 of 18 from the field for 11 points. “This is incredible,” said Jamal Crawford,  “We had the game won. It just slipped away from us.” Hawks coach Mike Woodsen’s future with the Hawks is fading like people in the pictures in Back to the Future. His contract is up at the end of the year, and if Atlanta doesn’t make it pass the Bucks, Mike Woodsen will be unemployed. Bucks 3-2

(Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

The Nuggets had to win,  and they did just that, playing the best they have all series. Six players scored in double figures for the Nuggets, led by Carmelo Anthony’s 26. Anthony added 11 rebounds for his 10th career playoff double-double, and second in a row. The Nuggets shot 50.7 percent from the field and improved to 9-0 over the last two postseason when shooting at least 50 percent from the field. Surprisingly this was the first win for Carmelo win the Nuggets face elimination. Nuggets now head to Utah where winning will be as difficult as solving a Rubiks cube while skydiving.

The Jazz have never lost a series when up 3-1. Heading back to the Delta Center for Game 6 Friday, the Jazz will look to end this series. There was never a doubt that they weren’t trying to win tonight though. Deron Williams had 34 points and 10 assists to lead the Jazz. The 34 points is one off his playoff career high. Williams joined Kevin Johnson as the only players with 5 20-10 games in a single playoff series. Carlos Boozer added 25 points and 16 boards. Jazz 3-2

(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Heat needed a win to continue the series and to continue watching Dwayne Wade in a Heat uniform. In the previous three games Wades 2nd and 4th quarter production was down. In Game 4 Wade put the Heat on his back and single-handedly(he yelled at his right hand) and outscored the Celtics 19 to 15 in the 4th. Wade scored 46 points, 30 in the second half — both franchise records — and the Heat beat the Boston Celtics 101-92. Quentin Richardson’s 20 points were the most by a Heat not named Wade this whole series. Dwyane Wade’s 46 points Sunday are the most scored against Boston in a playoff game dating back to 1991. Wade is only the fourth player since 1991 to score at least 40 in a playoff game against Boston, and the first since LeBron James scored 45 on May 18, 2008.

Rajon Rondo led the Celtics with 23 points. Garnett had 18 points and 12 rebounds,Paul Pierce scored 16 and Ray Allen added 15 for Boston, which was bidding for its first 4-0 sweep of a series since 1986. “It’s not a big deal,” Rondo said. “We just have to close it out now in five. We’re confident.” Celtics 3-1

49FT.! (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)

LeBron James nailed a 22-foot fadeaway from up top just before the halftime buzzer, then he hit a pull-up 49 foot jumper to end the 3rd quarter. That about sums up this game! James finished with 37 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists. The Cavs shot 12-25 from deep, and got 12 points from Jamison, and 19 from Mo Williams.

After an impressing win in Game 3, the Bulls returned to their Game 1, and 2 form shooting 37% from the field. Bulls were 4 of 12 on 3-pointers, Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah both scored 21 apiece, and Noah had 20 boards. Noah had the first 20/20 game in franchise playoff history. Noah told reporters after Game 3 that “Cleveland Sucks”.and  he will be the focus of fans in the Quicken Loans Arena in Game 5! Vinny Del Negro seem to be LeBron-struck saying after the game “It came down to LeBron.” “We could not control LeBron.” Cavs 3-1

(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Manu Ginobili refused to wear a mask for Game 4 and instead wore a HUGE bandage across his face. A liitle more fabric and he could have been an Argentinean Darkman. The Spurs Big Three(Duncan, Ginobili, Parker) combined 9-34 shooting. Tim Duncan on his 34th birthday had 4 points on 1-9 shooting. George Hill gave Duncan a great birthday gift with 29 points, on 11-16 shooting. Richard Jefferson scored 15 points and Antonio McDyess had 10.

Caron Butler got to play in the second half in this one scoring 17. The Mavs lead by  as much as 14, but the Spurs defense forced them into tough shots and then the flagrant fouls began. Eduardo Najera was ejected after hooking a hand around Ginobili’s head and sending him belly flopping to the floor. Then DeJuan Blair fouled Jason Kidd hard as he took the ball to the basket, drawing a Flagrant 1. Officials rang up three flagrant fouls. Just more fuel on an already intense Texas rivalry. Only eight teams have come back from being down 3-1 in a best-of-seven series. Uh-Oh Mark Cuban! Spurs 3-1

(Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Utah Jazz are the team without key players. Andrei Kirilenko and Mehmet Okur are both injured, but in Game 4 you wouldn’t have noticed they were missing anything. Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer combined for 55 points,  18 assists, and 17 rebounds. Cj Miles had 21, Wesley Matthews had 18 points, and Paul Milsap had 12. If these three combine for 51 points, the other team is going to lose!

The Nuggets head back to Denver for Game 5, facing elimanation. The abscence of George Karl has to be the reason for many of their struggles, but the Nuggets poor defense is truly to blame. They only had 13 assists, but 18 turnovers. Carmelo Anthony had 39 points and 11 boards, and 9 turnovers. Chauncey Billups fouled out with 3:46 left in the 4th and seems flustered having to guard Deron Williams and lead the team. Has anyone seen Chris Anderson?(2pts, 0 boards,0 blocks)If Nuggets can’t get three great games from JR Smith, Chauncey Billups, and Kenyon Martin, this series is over. That last sentence looks unbelievable.  The referees ruined this game with call after cal,l leading to 77 combined free throws. Jazz 3-1