Copyright 2008 The New York Sun Mon, 29 Sep 2008 23:12:09 -0400 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss John Hollinger :: Stories from The New York Sun http://www.nysun.com/authors/John+Hollinger istoll@nysun.com (Ira Stoll) webmaster@nysun.com en-us JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/american-redeem-team-wins-basketball-gold/84474/ Sun, 24 Aug 2008 11:37:34 EST They came, they saw ... they survived. Though the "Redeem Team" didn't close with the grand flourish some had hoped, the American men's basketball team completed its return to the top of the mountain with a 118–107 triumph over Spain today to win the Olympic gold medal. This game felt like a coronation after the Americans had pulverized all comers to date, but the Spanish team didn't seem to get the script and nearly pulled a shocking upset of a team it had lost to by 37 points in Pool play... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/argentina-is-redeem-teams-last-remaining-test/84311/ Thu, 21 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST Bang. Swish. Swish. Swish. Free throw. Layup. Layup. Swish. Ballgame. In the blink of an eye, America turned a competitive game against Australia into a laugher, going on a 19-0 run bridging halftime to turn a tight, feisty game into a 116-85 rout and advance to the semifinals of the men's Olympic basketball tournament. It was part of a day that couldn't have gone better for the U.S. — not only did they win easily, but their two main rivals for the gold medal, Spain and Argentina, both suffered... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/much-work-left-to-do-on-both-sides-of-river/86842/ Tue, 30 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EST It's training camp, and normally that's the time for sunny optimism and glass-half-full thinking about how this year can be better than the last one. But in the case of the two local teams, it's also where the happiness about each team's recent change of direction runs into the grim reality that they're each on the first mile of a long road of rebuilding. Take the Knicks, for instance. Their fans are euphoric that Isiah Thomas has been deposed, and rightfully so: His reign of incompetence was... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/walsh-showing-patience-in-dismantling-of-knicks/85623/ Thu, 11 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EST You can say this about Donnie Walsh: He's patient. While Isiah Thomas arrived in a blaze of glory, making a blockbuster trade for Stephon Marbury within days of taking over as team president, Walsh's first few months in office have been much quieter. The only significant change has been the inevitable firing of Thomas and hiring of Mike D'Antoni as head coach, followed by two relatively low-wattage pickups in draft choice Danilo Gallinari and point guard Chris Duhon. Meanwhile, the... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/starting-now-team-usa-is-0-0/84174/ Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST Okay, now for the hard part. Team USA completed its domination of the preliminary round of the Olympic men's basketball tournament yesterday with a 106-57 annihilation of Germany. The U.S. was the only unbeaten team, going 5-0 with an average victory margin of 30 points, and no opponent could stay within 20. And for that they get ... absolutely nothing. When the quarterfinals tip off tomorrow, everybody is 0-0. Should the Americans lose, they won't even end up with a medal — as happened to... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/us-must-avoid-overconfidence-as-it-marches/84073/ Mon, 18 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST The U.S. basketball team plays Germany this morning — and it couldn't matter less. Thanks to their 119-82 shellacking of Spain on Saturday, the Americans have already clinched the top seed in Pool B and a quarterfinal date on Wednesday, most likely against Australia. The American side can spend the next two days reminiscing about the embarrassment they handed to the defending World Champions, a team with seven current or former NBA players, one NBA All-Star, and no chance on Saturday. And in... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/americans-get-revenge-on-greece-now-eye-spain/83951/ Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST We don't use the word "Dream Team" anymore, but yesterday the U.S. men's basketball team was positively dreamy. The 92-69 blowout against Greece showed what this team is capable of against an opponent they deem worthy of their full attention, as the U.S. dominated the paint, ran the break with precision and hit just enough three-pointers to loosen up Greece's zone for shots in the paint. Greece, of course, has been on this team's radar for the past two years, ever since a 101-97 upset in the... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/despite-routs-us-has-room-for-improvement/83785/ Wed, 13 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST International basketball is a shooter's game thanks to the shorter 3-point line, and if there's a concern for USA Basketball right now, it's the inability of its guards to take advantage of that. Yesterday's 97-76 win against an overmatched Angola team is another example. While they steamrolled the Angolans in the open court, the starting backcourt of Jason Kidd and Kobe Bryant offered up more question marks for what may happen against the far better competition they're about to face next... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/us-works-out-kinks-and-steamrolls-china/83544/ Mon, 11 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST One day of hoops down, and it's so far, so good ... well, unless you're a Nets fan. The American team overcame an initial burst of enthusiasm from a Chinese team playing in front of its home crowd and dominated the second half en route to a 101-70 victory in the opening game of pool play. The Americans again swim in the shallow end of Pool A tomorrow morning when they face Angola; after that, the competition ramps up quickly. As for the Nets side of things, there was somebody on the Chinese... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/team-usa-gets-wake-up-call-before-olympics/83276/ Wed, 6 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST Maybe, in hindsight, Team USA's struggles against Australia yesterday in their final exhibition game will be a good thing. Maybe they'll learn from it and be better prepared for their Olympic opener on Saturday against China, and perhaps it will spur them toward the gold medal everyone's expecting. At the same time, the Americans' 87-76 win over the Aussies — whose best player, Milwaukee Bucks center Andrew Bogut, sat out with an ankle injury — also laid bare the same weaknesses that have... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/knicks-make-a-very-rare-salary-dump/82761/ Tue, 29 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST A salary dump? By the Knicks? Yes, apparently anything is possible in today's NBA. As Hell's denizens shoveled out from the blizzard, the Knicks waved bye-bye to forward Renaldo Balkman yesterday in a deal that ships him to Denver in return for a 2010 second-round draft pick and guards Bobby Jones and Taurean Green. What the Knicks get out of it, really, is just being rid of the obligation to pay Balkman. Both Jones and Green have contracts that aren't guaranteed for the coming year, which is... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/there-is-a-method-to-the-nets-offseason-madness/82551/ Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST Nets fans: I know you must be confused. The Nets dump Richard Jefferson, in a clear rebuilding move ... and then turn around and sign three veteran free agents and trade one of their young guys? Does this really make any sense? Actually, it does, believe it or not. But it might take a while to get there, so let's get started. Team president Rod Thorn and GM Kiki Vandeweghe are operating with two separate goals in mind — first, to get well under the cap in the summer of 2010, and second, to have... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/a-new-drive-high-school-to-europe-to-nba/82171/ Fri, 18 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST If you're looking for the free-agent move with the most long-reaching consequences for the NBA, it isn't Elton Brand's move to the Sixers, nor Baron Davis's jumping to the Clippers, nor even James Posey's defection from Boston to New Orleans. In fact, it wasn't even an NBA signing. But the inking of guard Brandon Jennings by Pallacanestro Virtus Roma of the Italian League could end up having far-reaching consequences for both the NBA and college basketball, because he may prove to be the tip of... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/free-agent-signing-may-create-new-force-in-east/81487/ Wed, 9 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST Could another All-Star power forward be coming to the rescue of an Eastern also-ran? It sure seems that way. Last year it was Kevin Garnett reviving the Celtics, and this year it may be Elton Brand's turn. With decision day coming this morning, a report by ESPN.com's Marc Stein last night said Brand will leave the forlorn L.A. Clippers and accept a five-year deal from the Philadelphia 76ers that would immediately transform them into an Eastern Conference powerhouse. Brand faced three alluring... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/lebrons-shadow-looms-over-free-agent-market/81022/ Tue, 1 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST And they're off! At 12:01 a.m. today, the starter's gun fired and the race to nab the NBA's top free agents began. Execs from the league's 30 teams began calling marquee players around the league to woo them to their respective sides, with the hopes of landing the likes of Gilbert Arenas or Corey Maggette. While neither of the two local teams figures to be in the race for a player of that ilk, it's an important time for the Knicks and Nets as well. For New York, free agency is the next big test... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/nets-steal-knicks-thunder-on-draft-day/80841/ Fri, 27 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EST As a result of yesterday's NBA draft, I thought we'd be writing about Danilo Gallinari and Brook Lopez, but the Nets stole their thunder before the draft even started. Hours before the festivities began at Madison Square Garden, New Jersey made a decisive move into its new, post-Jason Kidd future, trading Richard Jefferson to the Milwaukee Bucks for Yi Jianlian and Bobby Simmons. Simmons is a free-agent bust who has two years and $20 million left on his contract, while Yi is a soft but talented... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/how-the-first-round-may-go/80638/ Wed, 25 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EST Last week, one season ended. Tomorrow, another begins. And for the dregs of the league — that means you, Knicks and Nets fans — tomorrow's NBA draft (7 p.m., ESPN) is of far more importance than the just-concluded playoffs. It is in the draft that rebuilding plans are hatched, and franchise saviors found — witness a year ago, for instance, when Boston's draft-day trade of the no. 5 pick for Ray Allen began its amazing rebound from doormats to champions. So it is without further ado that we... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/will-lakers-celtics-meet-again-next-june/80290/ Thu, 19 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EST BOSTON - Yes, it can be done. That's the greatest thing about Boston's one-year turnaround from a 24-win team to a world champion. In a league where champions normally come from a very short list that almost any pundit could provide months before the season begins, Boston's immediate U-turn upset the apple cart and reminded the league's other losers (such as the Nets and Knicks, for instance) how quickly things can change. Of course, this didn't happen completely out of the blue. The off-season... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/for-celtics-a-career-defining-victory/80231/ Wed, 18 Jun 2008 00:16:47 EST BOSTON – It was a dream end to a dream season. The Boston Celtics, who finished last in the Eastern Conference a year ago, are NBA champions after thrashing the Los Angeles Lakers 131-92 Tuesday night to win the best-of-seven series, four games to two. If this were a boxing match, it would have been stopped in the second round. Boston hammered the Lakers with a crushing 26-6 run to close the first half, limiting L.A. to one basket in the final 7:32 of the quarter, to open up a gaping 58-35 lead... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/despite-injuries-signs-point-to-a-boston-win/80142/ Tue, 17 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EST LOS ANGELES — If any civic leaders in Boston are reading this, I have just one thing to say: Get the duck boats ready. No, the Celtics did not clinch the title on Sunday, losing Game 5 of the NBA Finals to the Lakers, 103-98, but the celebration was merely delayed, not denied. Although the Lakers were able to stave off elimination for a night, they did little to dent the notion that Boston is the superior team and will close things out on its home court in tonight's Game 6 — leading, of course... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/usa-soon-to-decide-whom-to-bring-to-beijing/79972/ Fri, 13 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EST LOS ANGELES — The intrigue is beginning for the Beijing Olympics, and it's not all about protests, either. While the NBA Finals steal all the headlines, USA Basketball quietly announced this week that it will select all 12 players for the U.S. Olympic roster before the team goes to minicamp in Las Vegas on June 27. That's a departure from the original strategy of having a pool of 16 players try out for the team — a process that USA hoops tsar Jerry Colangelo instituted as a key component of his... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/before-game-4-adjustments-needed-on-both-sides/79872/ Thu, 12 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EST LOS ANGELES — When it comes to the playoffs, adjustments are the name of the game. And for the Lakers and Celtics, the tactical changes they make to respond to the other team's moves are going to be a big factor in determining who wins tonight's Game 4 at Staples Center. Los Angeles survived Game 3, 87-81, to cut the Celtics' lead to 2-1, and a couple of key adjustments by Lakers coach Phil Jackson were major factors. For starters, he switched up his defensive assignments by putting Kobe Bryant... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/lakers-cant-blame-referees-for-this-deficit/79658/ Tue, 10 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EST BOSTON — It's helpful that Justin Timberlake is a regular at Lakers games, because when the series resumes in Los Angeles tonight he can convey an important message to coach Phil Jackson: Cry me a river, Phil. Following a 38-10 free-throw disparity in the Lakers' Game 2 loss to the Celtics, L.A.'s coach went off on the zebras, saying the crew of Bob Delaney, Ken Mauer, and Dan Crawford weren't giving his squad a fair whistle. "Leon Powe [got] more foul shots than our whole team does in 14... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/knicks-best-bet-in-nba-draft-is-to-trade-down/79574/ Mon, 9 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EST While the Celtics and Lakers are busy reliving the NBA's glory days in the 1980s, the local teams have pressing matters to deal with as well. The NBA Draft is just around the corner, and almost immediately after that the free agent feeding frenzy begins. So although the Nets and Knicks stopped playing a long time ago, they've actually been busy of late. In particular, the Knicks are an interesting topic. New team president Donnie Walsh goes into draft day holding the sixth overall pick, but... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/great-season-ends-with-perfect-final/79275/ Wed, 4 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EST The Celtics play the Lakers tomorrow tonight. Oh, you've heard? With one of the most eagerly anticipated finals in league history getting under way in Boston, it completes a year of dramatic revival for the NBA. Remember, less than a year ago we were lamenting one of the worst seasons in league history. The Tim Donaghy scandal cut to the core of the league's credibility. Ratings were in the tank after San Antonio swept Cleveland in a thoroughly uneventful finals. All-Star Weekend in Las Vegas... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/spurs-not-pistons-need-major-retooling/79176/ Tue, 3 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EST It's the Lakers and the Celtics in the NBA Finals, and the world is rejoicing. We'll get into all that starting tomorrow. But for now, let's have some words for the losers. Both San Antonio and Detroit find themselves in similar straights today, coming off disappointing conference finals defeats and staring down Father Time in the mirror. It promises to be an interesting offseason for each team. For the past six seasons, these have been the two most successful franchises in basketball. Detroit... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/nba-basketball/78960/ Fri, 30 May 2008 00:00:00 EST It's not the NBA playoffs without a little bit of controversy, and finally it seems we have some. Tuesday's Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals provided the drama, as the Spurs and Lakers played down to the wire before San Antonio got the ball with 2.1 seconds left and a 93-91 deficit. San Antonio's Brent Barry caught an inbound pass beyond the 3-point line, faked Los Angeles's Derek Fisher into the air, and then took a bump as he tried to dribble around him. No foul was called, and Barry... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/pistons-cannot-advance-without-a-healthy-billups/78759/ Wed, 28 May 2008 00:00:00 EST Heading into tonight's Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals, two things have become clear: 1) The Detroit Pistons are probably the better team; and 2) They probably aren't going to win. Those two conclusions were laid bare in Detroit's 94-75 win over Boston on Monday, in which the Pistons scored the first 11 points and took the fight to the Celtics throughout. It evened the series at two games apiece, and that 2-2 tie is an accurate reflection of how even the play has been: Through four... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/series-after-series-these-spurs-refuse-to-die/78671/ Tue, 27 May 2008 00:00:00 EST Throughout these playoffs, the San Antonio Spurs have shown an unusual resiliency, even for a four-time champion. Down double figures in the first two games of their opening series against Phoenix, the Spurs came back to win both games — the first thanks to three-pointers at the end of both regulation and overtime, the latter coming off the unlikely hands of Tim Duncan. Down 2-0 in the second round to New Orleans, they again pulled a rabbit out of their hat. The Spurs shook off two one-sided... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/blown-opportunity-may-come-back-to-bite-spurs/77390/ Fri, 23 May 2008 00:00:00 EST It was only Game 1, but it may have been the defining game of the series. For 30 minutes, the San Antonio Spurs seemed in total control. Racing out to a 20-point lead over the Lakers in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals, it seemed the defending champs were ready to mark their turf and steal a road win right out of the gate. And then, just like that, the game turned completely upside down. San Antonio scored only 20 points in the final 17 minutes and 54 seconds of the game, blew the entire... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/lakers-look-to-put-end-to-spurs-reign-in-west/76789/ Wed, 21 May 2008 00:00:00 EST The champs will live to fight another day, as the Spurs defeated the Hornets in Monday's Game 7 to advance to the Western Conference Finals against the Lakers. Game 1 is tonight in Los Angeles. But as they head into a best-of-seven series against the Lakers as heavy underdogs, one wonders if they merely prolonged the inevitable changing of the guard in the Western Conference by two weeks. For the past half-decade, three teams — San Antonio, Phoenix, and Dallas — have dominated the West. Those... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/defensive-stalwarts-set-to-clash-in-east-finals/76685/ Tue, 20 May 2008 00:00:00 EST Well, they survived. That about does it for the positives Boston can take away from its second-round series against Cleveland, as they barely outlasted the Cavs 97-92 in Game 7 on Sunday. Although the epic scoring battle between Paul Pierce and LeBron James made it one of the more exciting playoff games in recent memory, the Celtics have to be asking themselves how it got to that point. Boston, remember, was 66-16 in the regular season, with one of the best scoring margins (+10.3 per game) of... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/like-the-knicks-nets-plan-for-a-busy-summer/76546/ Fri, 16 May 2008 00:00:00 EST The Knicks have stolen all the local thunder lately, and with good reason. But let's not lose sight of the Nets. It looks like the team president of the Nets, Rod Thorn, and new general manager Kiki Vandeweghe have set out to stalk some big property this summer. Among the targets, according to a report in Thursday's Bergen Record: Denver's Carmelo Anthony. There's some logic to this. Vandeweghe drafted Anthony when he was general manager of the Nuggets, and certainly Anthony is the type of... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/while-on-road-celtics-defense-has-all-but-vanished/76419/ Wed, 14 May 2008 00:00:00 EST The Boston Celtics won 31 road games this year, more than any team in basketball. They became the first team since 2001 to sweep a three-game swing against the mighty Texas trio, beat seven of the other 12 playoff teams in their own building, and didn't lose a road game by double figures until the last week of the season. Then the playoffs started, and all that went out the window. Suddenly, the Celtics can't win on the road to save their lives. For a second straight series, Boston's inability... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/without-question-knicks-hired-wisely/76322/ Tue, 13 May 2008 00:00:00 EST Man, people are unbelievable sometimes. The reactions I've seen to the Knicks' agreement to hire coach Mike D'Antoni away from Phoenix are absolutely staggering in their negativity. So, let me see if I've got this straight: The Knicks hired a guy who took over a 29-win team and won 62, 54, 61, and 55 games in the four years that followed — and people have a problem with this? Apparently so. It seems D'Antoni has been coaching for all of four years and hasn't won a championship yet, which... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/support-gives-kobe-and-la-the-winning-touch/76160/ Fri, 9 May 2008 00:00:00 EST This was supposed to be as wide open a Western Conference playoffs as we've ever seen — but the Lakers are ruining all the fun. Midway through the second round, the operative question out West is whether anyone can stop the Lakers show. The West's top seed has rolled through its first six games, using precision ball movement and the individual brilliance of Kobe Bryant to inflict a "Rocky Horror" attack on Denver and Utah. The six wins raise L.A.'s record to a jaw-dropping 28-4 in games Pau... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/nbas-lack-of-foresight-dooms-magic/75999/ Wed, 7 May 2008 00:00:00 EST When it comes to changing rules, sports leagues tend to be reactive rather than proactive. In other words, most rules changes result not from somebody thinking ahead to what might happen, but rather as a consequence of something that already occurred and seemed unfair. We've seen this several times over in the NBA. When Wilt Chamberlain dominated around the rim, the league reacted by expanding the three-second lane. When Paul Westphal called a time-out his team didn't have at the end of Game 5... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/first-round-results-were-deceptive/75897/ Tue, 6 May 2008 00:00:00 EST It has often been mentioned in this space that win-loss records in the regular season can be misleading. For instance, teams can finish far better than .500 despite giving up more points than they've scored, but those teams rarely see their good fortune last long in the postseason. Conversely, teams with huge average scoring margins tend to enjoy great success regardless of their win-loss record. If regular-season win-loss records are misleading, the postseason takes it a step further. Fans to... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/coaches-often-fail-to-play-the-percentages/75738/ Fri, 2 May 2008 00:00:00 EST BOSTON — Coaching is a funny profession, especially in the NBA. Coaches go through the whole regular season with relatively little scrutiny, only to see it suddenly magnified a hundred times over in the playoffs. We've seen multiple examples already in the first round. But there's a reason for this: Tactical errors in the playoffs can be much more costly than those in the regular season. During the course of 82 games, what a coach does in other departments — player relations, teaching, etc... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/two-hall-of-famers-begin-new-chapters/75570/ Wed, 30 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EST Out with the old and in with the old. No sooner did one Hall of Fame coach step down, another walked back into the league with a new gig. Knicks fans will be familiar with both. Monday's first bit of news was that Pat Riley, who coached the Heat to a championship two years ago, decided to kick himself back upstairs in the wake of this season's 15-67 disaster. Assistant Erik Spoelstra will take over. Meanwhile yesterday, Larry Brown returned to the scene after a two-year absence, taking over as... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/mavs-suns-must-now-question-trades/75307/ Fri, 25 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EST Two teams. Two trades. And about a hundred questions. That's where the Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns stand after each fell behind 0-2 in their best-of-seven first-round playoff series. This wasn't anticipated when each made blockbuster moves at the trade deadline that they thought would add the one veteran piece to put them over the top. Instead, neither may survive the first round, which would lead to a real interesting offseason. Let's start with Dallas, who acquired longtime Nets... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/art-of-flopping-on-display-in-the-nba-playoffs/75187/ Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EST HOUSTON — It's the NBA playoffs, and that can only mean one thing: It's time to break out the F-word. No, not that F-word. In pro basketball, there's a far worse name you can call somebody: "Flopper." And it took just three days of playoff action for the dreaded label to be spread far and wide. Here in Houston, for instance, the Rockets were livid over a call at the end of game 2 that resulted in an offensive foul against Luis Scola, wiping away a game-tying 3-pointer by Bobby Jackson in the... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/walsh-should-hand-reins-to-billy-king-mark-jackson/75066/ Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EST Our long local nightmare is finally over. Though it didn't happen as rudely or dramatically as many fans had hoped, the Knicks did dismiss Isiah Thomas as head coach on Friday and gave him a nebulous job title in the organization that reports to team president Donnie Walsh. And now, we must contemplate who's next. The dismissals of Thomas and general manager Glen Grunwald leave the Knicks with openings on the bench and in the front office. At the moment, the debate over who will be the next... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/as-the-west-battles-celtics-should-cruise-in/74920/ Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EST As one season ends, another begins. Tomorrow the NBA postseason starts, and it's one of the most anticipated playoffs ever, due to the tightness of the standings, especially in the West. But before it tips off, we have some tidying up to do from the remnants of the 2007–08 regular season. Fourteen teams didn't make the playoffs, and at least two spent yesterday dismissing the responsible parties. Chicago kicked interim coach Jim Boylan to the curb and Milwaukee did the same to Larry Krystkowiak... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/nets-grades-fall-short-of-expectations/74809/ Wed, 16 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EST It's time for report cards again, but hopefully not a time for curses. Last week, I did year-end grades for the Knicks and spoke glowingly of the recent play of Wilson Chandler … so of course on Monday, in the second-to-last game of the season, he goes and tears up his knee. It was a fitting end to a depressing year of basketball in the New York area. Apologies if I put a similar hex on any Nets heading into tonight's finale in Boston, as today we hand out the grades on a season that fell far... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/pauls-the-best-choice-in-a-tight-mvp-field/74701/ Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EST NBA award ballots are due this week, and voters have a dilemma on their hands. Once again, the MVP trophy in particular presents a conundrum, as four candidates have put themselves ahead of the pack. Boston's Kevin Garnett, Cleveland's LeBron James, New Orleans's Chris Paul, and the Lakers' Kobe Bryant all would be worthy recipients, making me wonder once again why the league doesn't give separate awards for East and West the way baseball does. If forced to choose, however, I would have to put... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/knicks-year-end-grades-arent-going-on-the-fridge/74525/ Fri, 11 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EST It's mid-April, which means it must be time to sort through the wreckage of a lost Knicks season again. Turns out they can't even get losing right — New York's recent three-game winning streak is totally meaningless except for the fact that it greatly hurts their lottery odds because they passed Memphis and the Clippers in the standings. To help separate the bad from the awful, we're back once again with year-end grades. You'll notice that the first couple letters of the alphabet are hugely... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/one-game-to-decide-fate-of-warriors-nuggets/74388/ Wed, 9 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EST It's rare for an NBA team to find itself in a one-game elimination, but that's essentially what the Denver Nuggets and Golden State Warriors face tomorrow. The two teams entered last night's games tied for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, and the winner of tomorrow's game will have a huge advantage heading into the season's final week. Should Golden State prevail, the Warriors will be a game up and have an easier schedule down the stretch, including home games against the... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/ewing-gets-his-much-deserved-call-to-springfield/74340/ Tue, 8 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EST In a season where the Knicks have done everything they could to make us forget the glory days, the past 48 hours brought back an overwhelming reminder. Patrick Ewing, the greatest player to wear the Knickerbocker uniform, will be enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame in September. In a rare touch of class from Madison Square Garden and embattled owner James Dolan, Ewing was treated to a video tribute in the Garden on Sunday when the Orlando Magic visited the Knicks. Ewing works as an... JOHN HOLLINGER http://www.nysun.com/sports/four-key-decisions-knicks-walsh-must-make/74190/ Fri, 4 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EST The photo ops and handshakes are over, the champagne has been carted away, and it's time to get down to business. Welcome to your first day on the job, Mr. Walsh. By the way, your team sucks. You're overseeing an organization that has become a laughingstock, with overpaid players that nobody wants, a coach whose team has quit on him and he on them, and only a couple of young players that could be considered building blocks for the future. What's weird about a situation this dire is that many of...