After a back and forth overtime period, the Pacers had the ball, down 101-99. After a scramble for a loose ball, Paul George once again found himself facing a last second shot. He let fly a desperate three, and was fouled by Dwyane Wade.

George calmly hit the three free throws to give the Pacers a 102-101 lead with 2.2 seconds remaining. But, the glory wasn’t meant for Paul George.

It was LeBron time. The whole arena, and everyone watching on TV knew who was getting the ball in the final possession, and LeBron didn’t disappoint. He grabbed the inbounds pass and spun on George, who overplayed too high. LeBron drove to the basket and finished with his left hand as the buzzer sounded, to give the Heat a thrilling 103-102 win in Game 1.

LeBron finished with 30 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, giving him his ninth career triple-double.

With the Heat leading 92-89 and just under 12 seconds remaining, the Pacers took the ball out of bounds. They gave the ball to Paul George, but after a few seconds, the play was broken. He had to give the ball up, and almost turned the ball over.

He then got the ball back from David West and hit a ridiculous three to tie the game with just 0.7 seconds left.

Miami Heat:

Most Important Player:

Jack Maloney (@jmaloney9) – LeBron James. He’s the best player in the world. He’s the Heat’s best offensive player, best passer and best rebounder.

Reece Hooker (@ReeceJHooker) – If Chris Bosh can find a way to have an inside presence even against Indiana’s big man line-up, the Heat would be in great shape to win this series. LeBron will get his, Wade is likely to get his, but there’s a huge question mark over how Bosh will go complementing his peers in this one.

Vijay Shravah (@nbafanstake) – Dwyane Wade.  It seems as though we’re going through a deja vu from last postseason, where Wade didn’t come alive until Indiana took a 2-1 series lead against the Heat.  Up to that point, there were ongoing echoes that Wade was past his prime, too hurt to be effective, and that he is no longer the elite player we saw earlier in his career.  He finally broke out of his slump after an infamous confrontation with coach Erik Spoelstra after struggling in Game 3 of that series.  Well here we are again this postseason, where there is a growing sentiment that Wade has lost a step as he has struggled to find his rhythm all postseason long.  However, if he has a similar turnaround and breakout game during this series like he did last year, Miami will be unbeatable.

Quentin Haynes (@Haynesenburg) – I’m going to go with Norris Cole. I know that #6 is the best player on the planet, but this Miami will need some outside shooting, and while they beat Chicago in five games, the offense looked lackluster in the majority of those games. Now, they go up against a better defense. Norris Cole was the worst player in the regular season this past year, and now he’s the best PG on the Heat. He needs to keep it up.

Biggest Strength:

JM – Well, LeBron James. But beside that, their offense as a whole. With LeBron, Wade, Bosh and Allen off the bench, the Heat have one of the best offensive units in the league. They were the most efficient offense in the league in the regular season, scoring 110.3 points per 100 posessions.

May 15, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat small forward LeBron James (6) dribbles the ball in the second half in game five of the second round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs against the Chicago Bulls at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports

RH – The Heat have the benefit of employing the best basketball player on the planet. Last time the Heat were in a Conference Finals, they played a team that on the whole played more consistent and superior team basketball, but still rolled over them thanks to a historic playoffs performance from LeBron. While personally I don’t think this series will reach seven games, the Heat are at their most dangerous when James is most inspired.

VS – Besides having the best player on the planet?  Offense.  Their offensive cohesion is nearly flawless; with a balanced attack, two of the greatest playmakers in the game, and plenty of outside shooters to space the floor, Miami is the most difficult team to guard in the NBA.  It seems like every game, they go on one or two huge 15-20 point spurts that seals the deal for them.

QH – LeBron, Wade, and Bosh. More importantly, their ability to draw fouls. If they could knock Hibbert out early and often, Miami might sweep.

Biggest Weakness:

JM – Rebounding and inside play, if anything. Chris Andersen has helped their rebounding woes, but they still don’t have a presence inside. Bosh is their tallest player, but he likes to play more of a perimeter game. If Roy Hibbert is on his game, he could cause some issues for the Heat.

RH – Miami’s rebounding has plagued them all year long, although alleviated since snaring Chris Andersen. However, while their rebounding prowess went from non-existent to mediocre with Anderson’s signing, they’re still vulnerable against a hungry, savvy and big Indiana squad.

VS – Rebounding.  Miami’s rebounding woes has been well documented throughout the season, as they finished dead last in rebounds per game.  ”Birdman” Chris Andersen was brought in late in the season to give Miami some size, and he has filled that role admirably.  And while their rebounding hasn’t been too terrible in the playoffs (currently 3rd in the league in rebounding differential per game), one has to believe their small-ball play along with Indiana’s size will lead to a big disadvantage on the glass.

QH – Dwyane Wade’s health issues. The Heat could drop a game or two if Wade can’t turn it up like he did in Game 6.

Indiana Pacers:

Most Important Player:

May 18, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers center Roy Hibbert (55) dunks against the New York Knicks in game six of the second round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Indiana defeats New York 106-99. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

JM – Roy Hibbert. He’s the Pacers’ one big advantage, as the Heat lack a big man to match him. He dominated Tyson Chandler in the series vs. the Knicks, and the Pacers will need him to keep up this high level of play.

RH – Paul George has performed a lot of magic tricks this season, such as making Danny Granger disappear, but he has one more rabbit to pull from a hat this year – escaping Miami’s strait jacket. The Most Improved title holder will have a tough time against the Heat, who will likely try to blanket him with LeBron James, widely regarded as the league’s best perimeter defender. But if George is able to break from LBJ and have a big one, Miami will have a series on their hands.

VS – Roy Hibbert.  Critics have been hammering Hibbert’s lack of consistent production on the offensive end all season long.  Going against a Heat team that plays small, he MUST dominate the paint.  Miami has notoriously struggled against teams with bigs that can score and rebound, and Hibbert can easily fit that bill.  Miami will try to play up-tempo and negate Hibbert’s ability to impact the game.  So, it will be paramount for him to impose his will in order for the Pacers to pull off the upset.

QH – Roy Hibbert. Can’t make it any more clearer than that.

Biggest Strength:

JM – Defense. Just as the Heat were the league’s most efficient offensive team, the Pacers were the league’s most efficient defensive team, allowing just 96.6 points per 100 possessions in the regular season. They’ve played solid defense all postseason, but the Heat will be by far their toughest test.

RH – Indiana’s inside presence will be their key to winning the series. Roy Hibbert and David West have been terrorising opposing teams all year long and have found form at just the right time. The Heat’s job will be made infinitely harder if the Pacers can successfully run their offense through these guys.

VS – Interior Presence.  If the Pacers can somehow control the pace, Roy Hibbert and David West should dominate the paint.  Chris Bosh tends to struggle against bigger and stronger post players, and so the 4-5 tandem of Indiana should capitalize.

QH – Defense. Indiana can turn it up defensively, even better than Chicago.

Biggest Weakness:

JM – Consistency. For as well as the Pacers have played this year, they have games where they just seem to disappear, especially on the offensive end. If they want any chance of knocking off the Heat, they can’t afford to take any nights off.

RH – Points in the paint. While the inside game presents their strongest advantage on paper for the series, getting it to actually come together will be the biggest ask for the Pacers. They’ve rarely lit up the scoreboard all year and now must find a way to match it offensively with the high octane South Beach Show.

VS – Closing.  Indiana’s lack of crunch-time superstars may come to haunt them in this series.  Although the offense primarily has gone through Paul George and Roy Hibbert, I am skeptical as to whether the two of them can consistently produce down the stretch of what will likely be closely contested games.  With Miami having two of the best closers in the game, who’s going to match that on Indiana’s end?  They may have been alternating that role by committee, but someone is going to need to step up consistently against the loaded Heat.

QH – The bench. Let me throw this out to you:

Gerald Green.

D.J. Augustin.

Tyler Hansbrough.

Jeff Pendergraph.

Ian Mahinmi.

Those five combined for 213 points this postseason. That’s not good at all.

Series Prediction:

JM – Heat in 6.

RH – Miami takes it in 6, with Indiana stealing one on the road but ultimately coming up short in a physical series.

VS – Miami in 7.  I think the Pacers are tremendously confident against Miami and will be a tough out, but I just can’t see LeBron and D-Wade letting this Heat team lose.  Period

QH – Heat in……..5. I think Indiana wins one at home.

First, it was a screaming lady during the second round series against the Golden State Warriors. Tonight, it was an excited fan yelling after the Spurs overtime victory against the Grizzlies.

Following the final buzzer, the camera is showing the Spurs celebrating and Grizzlies, disappointed, walking off the court. In the background, you can hear an excited fan screaming, “We did it! We did it!”

He was happy with the win and wanted to let everyone know. And you know what? Good for him.

(Thanks to @shighkinNBA for the video)

A big reason for their comeback was a flagrant foul called on the Spurs’ Manu Ginobili. The flagrant allowed the Grizzlies two free throws and the ball. Down 4 at the time of the foul, Tony Allen hit both of the free throws and Mike Conley hit a floater on the ensuing possession to tie the game.

The flagrant call will certainly come under speculation, but Ginobili grabbed Allen’s arm and pulled him out of the air. After landing, Allen grabbed his head and rolled around on the ground even though he never hit his head. He might be receiving a call from the league offices for that acting job.

The Cavaliers finished the 2012-2013 season with a 24-58 record, the third worst in the league. They had the third best odds with a 15.6% chance of getting the top pick.

It’s the second time in three years that the Cavaliers have the Number 1 overall pick. In 2011, they picked point guard Kyrie Irving.

The top three was rounded out by the Orlando Magic and Washington Wizards. The Magic had the best chance (25%) of winning the lottery. The Wizards, who had the eighth best odds, made a big jump up to number 3.

The rest of the top 5 was filled out by Charlotte (4th pick) and Phoenix (5th pick).

Picking 6th will be the newly renamed New Orleans Pelicans.

Sacramento, making their seventh straight lottery appearance, has the 7th overall pick, Detroit will pick 8th, Minnesota  9th, and Portland 10th.

The 76ers will have the 11th pick, the 12th pick will be made by the Oklahoma City Thunder, who got the pick from Toronto. Dallas has pick number 13 and Utah finishes out the lottery with the 14th overall pick.

The Clippers have fired Vinny Del Negro, source tells Y!

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) May 21, 2013

I should clarify: Del Negro wasn’t fired as coach. He was informed that he won’t be offered a new contract to return. His deal has expired.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) May 21, 2013

The Clippers, with Chris Paul and Blake Griffin leading the way, had regular season success the last two seasons. They were one of the most exciting teams in basketball but never found postseason success in a tough Western Conference. Last year they fought past the Grizzlies in the first round, but were then swept by the Spurs. This year, after winning the first two games, lost four straight to the Grizzlies to bow out in the first round.

There has been speculation of Del Negro not returning for quite some time now, so the news was no surprise. It will be interesting to see who the Clippers go after. Stan Van Gundy, who was high on a number of teams lists, said today that he would not be coaching next year.

Whoever the Clippers decide on will surely have the approval of Chris Paul. The star point guard is a free agent, but is expected to return to Los Angeles.

Just a few miles south of Oklahoma City, where the Thunder play, lies the town of Moore, Oklahoma, which suffered the brunt of the storm.

In support of the victims, the Thunder’s star, Kevin Durant donated $1 million, the Red Cross tweeted this afternoon.

@kdtrey5 steps forward and gives $1mil matching gift to the ARC for disaster relief, text “REDCROSS” to 90999 for a $10 donation.

— Red Cross Oklahoma (@redcrossokc) May 21, 2013

This is an awesome gesture from Durant, and what’s even cooler is that he never announced the donation. If it weren’t for the Red Cross, no one would ever have known that Durant donated the money. It wasn’t a PR ploy or attempt at good publicity. This was just Durant trying to do whatever he could to help out people in need.

Kevin Durant: Not Nice.

9. Mike Conley- As I’ve mentioned so many times before, we’re in a golden age of point guards right now in the NBA. A perfect example of how true that statement is comes directly from a move made by the Grizzlies. Memphis traded away their leading scorer and put their team in the hands of Mike Conley, who has subsequently shot up the point guard power rankings like a bat out of hell. For whatever reason, I have a somewhat irrational trust in Mike Conley to come through in big games. I just feel like he’s going to come up big on the bigger stage. Gasol and Randolph would be the Vegas favorites to win Finals MVP if the Grizzlies were to win the championship, but Conley could easily sneak into that MVP discussion. Where does that leave him going forward? At only 25 years old and saddled with a frontcourt that point guards dream of having, Conley’s ascension would perhaps only be beginning with a Finals run this year.

May 19, 2013; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich reacts after a play during the second quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies in game one of the Western Conference finals of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at AT

8. Gregg Popovich- On my initial construction of the list I initially had Coach Pop as the individual with the 3^rd most to gain from winning a championship. It would be his 5^th title which ties him with Pat Riley for the 3^rd most all-time, but then I realized that if I was indeed discussing who had the most to gain, Pop can’t go much further up. A fifth title wouldn’t necessarily launch him past Riley, Phil Jackson or Red Auerbach since he’s already in that discussion. The Mount Rushmore of NBA head coaches is already carved up and made up of those four, and I can’t see Pop’s spot being challenge anytime soon. Still, this would be a 5^th title in a fifteen year period for Pop, Duncan (coming up) and the Spurs, which is incredible when you think in terms of longevity. The Celtics incredible run in the late 50’s and 60’s came to an end with Bill Russell as the head coach, not Red Auerbach. Phil Jackson and the Bulls won six titles in eight years and then broke it apart. Phil Jackson’s Lakers three-peated in the early 00’s, blew it up, and then Phil came back for two more titles. But Pop and the Spurs have churned out 50 win seasons for the last fifteen years (with the exception of the 1999 strike season where they finished 37-13). That kind of consistent excellence is hard to match and, well, excellent.

7. Paul George- George’s remarkable 2012-13 season could only get better if it was capped off with a Pacers title, and likely a Finals MVP to follow. Looking back at all of the past winners of that prestigious award, only Magic Johnson (20) and Tim Duncan (22) would be younger than George (23) would be if he were to add the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP Award to his Most Improved Player Award he won earlier this year. Before we start etching George’s name on the trophy he has to get through the Miami Heat and LeBron James. I love the fact that there is so much build up for the LeBron/George matchup, but let’s be real: there is at least a 75% chance LeBron turns this into an Olajuwon/Robinson or Jordan/Drexler situation and goes on to eviscerate Paul George. And that isn’t meant to be a knock on Paul George. I’ve been on that bandwagon since he was a lanky sophomore at Fresno State that no one had ever heard of, and I’ve been saying for a year that the Pacers could hand the keys to George for the next decade and just pretend Danny Granger never had the keys. I just don’t know if George is ready for that kind of build up just yet.

6. Marc Gasol- There are a whole lot of historical ramifications for Marc Gasol in the next two rounds. The four most important ones are as followed:
1: Only Hakeem Olajuwon has won Defensive Player of the Year and Finals MVP in the same season. Gasol could potentially become the 2^nd individual to join that very exclusive club. Any time you’re mentioned with Hakeem Olajuwon, you’re doing something right.
2. A title for the Grizzlies and Finals MVP for Marc Gasol would just about put an end to the “Who won the Grizzlies/Lakers trade from 2008” argument, and make the Stephen A. Smith “They Gave Up Kwame Brown” video 5% less funny. Ah, who am I kidding? It’s still just as funny. Additionally, it would vault Marc past Pau in the “Greatest Career by a Gasol Brother” power rankings.
3: I’ve called Marc Gasol the modern day Bill Walton for a while now based solely on their style of play and the fact that the stats of each player doesn’t totally back up how vital they were to their respective teams both offensively and defensively. In order for my argument to gain some momentum, a Grizzlies title is a necessity. When you really think about it, the parallels between the 2013 Grizzlies and 1977 Trailblazers are there. Both teams are from smaller markets. Both were relatively new franchises at the time, and both are built on defense and team cohesiveness. Each teams cornerstone was a center who was flanked by a banging power forward (Zach Randolph and Maurice Lucas, whose nickname was “The Enforcer”), a smart, heady and good defensive point guard (Mike Conley and oddly enough, Lionel Hollins), and then a relatively forgettable supporting cast. The comparison can go even further if the Grizzlies were able to defeat Miami in the Finals, which is the closest equivalent to the 1977 Philadelphia 76ers I could come up with (LeBron, Wade, Bosh, Allen compared to Dr. J, Doug Collins, George McGinnis and World B. Free kind of works for the sake of this argument).
4. If the Grizzlies wins the title and Marc Gasol plays an MVP caliber series, he grabs firm control of the Best Center in the World Championship Belt but more importantly, he helps change basketball as we know it. If a small market like Memphis can win a title during a time period where teams are so concerned with forming Big Three’s and Superteams and players want to play in big media markets, then the script is officially flipped. I can’t help but think it might be a good thing.

5. Erik Spoelstra- Obviously there is no way of proving this now but if the Heat would’ve failed to bring a title back to South Beach last year, Erik Spoelstra wouldn’t have a job right now. But as fate (or LeBron James) would have it, Miami did win the title and in the year since Spoelstra has turned Miami into a 66 win juggernaut; an offensive machine that plays positionless basketball, spreads the floor, shares the ball and revolves everything around the most talented player to come into the league in the last 20 or so years. As if the Heat hadn’t made enough history this year, Spoelstra is the odds on favorite to become the 7^thcoach since 1960 to win back to back NBA Titles, putting him in the same category as Red Auerbach, Bill Russell, Pat Riley, Chuck Daly, Phil Jackson, and Rudy Tomjanovich.

May 15, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat shooting guard Dwyane Wade (3) takes a shot over Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah (13) and shooting guard Richard Hamilton (32) in the second half in game five of the second round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports

4. Dwyane Wade- Dwyane bought himself a column without insult thanks to his revival in Game 5 against Chicago. I wish I didn’t even need to worry about whether I had to go through a whole column without calling Dwyane Wade a wussy or questioning why his shot selection is sometimes so poor, or why he never runs back on defense… but I do. That’s not on my agenda today though. Today, I’ll just mention all that Wade has at stake over the next two rounds. If Wade maintains grasp on his “Robin” role for Miami and the Heat win the title, then that means he will have won three titles, one Finals MVP and twice was the 2^nd best player on the team. Outside of the times when he’s playing like a wussy, he’s one of the most overqualified 2^nd options of all-time considering he’s likely going to retire as either the 3^rd or 4^th best shooting guard of all-time.

Over the next two rounds all Wade has to do is score 20 points, pull down 5 rebounds, and dish 5 assists per game. I don’t care if he has to fly to Germany every other day for the procedure Kobe had or douse his knees in deer antler spray on the days off; Wade just needs to play at a B- level over the next four weeks and Miami has a very good shot of winning another NBA title. And if he does, I hereby swear I will never write another bad word about Dwyane Wade… unless he completely deserves it.

3. Tim Duncan- I shouldn’t have to rank Tim Duncan this high on the list. It should be a case similar to that of Gregg Popovich, where there isn’t much more that Duncan needs to do to prove his greatness. But the unfortunate fact is, there is. It took me a longer time than I’d like to admit to realize how astonishingly good Tim Duncan has been for nearly two decades. Like I mentioned in the Popovich section, Duncan is the anchor is sixteen straight seasons of the Spurs winning more than 60% of their games. What’s even more remarkable than that is that Duncan could potentially win a Finals MVP this year (his fourth), fifteen years after winning his first… in the previous effing millennium! Are you joking? How is it that Duncan’s per 36 minutes statistics this year (21.3 points, 11.9 rebounds, 3.2 blocks, 50% FG) are just as good as his per 36 minute stats from the 2002-03 season, his 2^nd MVP season (21.3 points, 11.8 rebounds, 2.7 blocks, 51% FG)? There are only two potential explanations. Either he’s A) An alien; or B) Hands down the greatest power forward of all-time. I’d hesitantly go with option B, although I don’t think it’s out of the realm of possibility for there to be an option C, which is All of the Above.

2. Tony Parker- There is a whole lot riding on these next two rounds for Tony Parker. In fact, the last time there was as much riding on the performance of a Frenchman it was Napoleon Bonaparte who was leading France into the War of the Sixth Coalition. That didn’t work out too well for France (Paris was captured) or Napoleon (He was exiled to Elba, and not my hometown in New York either). A poor performance in the next two rounds certainly wouldn’t get Tony Parker exiled, but it would put a halt on the momentum he’s been building for his legacy.

With a 4^th title and a likely 2^nd Finals MVP—which should be his first; he shouldn’t have been rewarded with a Finals MVP just because he ran circles around Boobie Gibson, Damon Jones and Eric Snow for four games; you could’ve replaced Tony Parker with at least ten other point guards and San Antonio would’ve still swept Cleveland—Parker would put himself in remarkable company. Only nine other players have ever won multiple NBA Finals MVP Awards. Magic Johnson is the only point guard to do so. Additionally, Hakeem Olajuwon is the only foreign born player to win the Bill Russell Award twice, and no foreign player who came into the NBA without college experience has ever won multiple Finals MVP’s. This raises the question: Where does Tony Parker rank on the all-time list of foreign players in the NBA? He’s only 31 years old and could easily end up with 20,000 career points and 8,000 career assists. He already has three titles, a Finals MVP, five all-star appearances, two All-NBA Team nods, and will certainly go down as one of the best point guards of his era. With another title and Finals MVP under his belt—one that would carry a whole lot more weight than his 2007 Finals MVP does—we might be talking about a Top 50 player of all-time perhaps? At this point, isn’t Dirk Nowitzki the only player more accomplished in the NBA than Parker when it comes to foreign born player who never played college ball in the United States?

1. LeBron James- Everyone is familiar with this narrative by now, right? LeBron James was the most highly touted amateur athlete of our time, is the most highly criticized athlete in our time, and someday (we’re a while away from this) he will be recognized as the greatest athlete of our time – get ready for an absolutely mammoth “if”— IF he can win a few more titles. Whether it’s fair or not, LeBron’s legacy, and in large part every other great athlete’s legacy too, will boil down to how many rings he is responsible for winning. LeBron promised multiple championships; not one, not two, not three, and so on… so if he can win title number two this year it would be a fitting end to one of the greatest 20 month stretches of basketball we will ever see.

Here is the interesting question: Where does a championship put LeBron James in the grand scheme of things? You’ll certainly hear some more Greatest of All-Time chatter from some people, while others will say he’s still not top ten all-time (In my opinion, that statement should be immediately followed with a small shock from a Taser). I’m not in a position to say where I think he’d be on that list because it would certainly be twisted around so it came off as biased. It’s just hard to look the big picture and not recognize that this is a player whose individual accolades will never be able to accurately express what it was like to watch him play the game of basketball.

The Orlando Magic, who finished with the worst record in the league at 20-62, have the best odds to win the lottery, with a 25% chance. Up next is the similarly awful Charlotte Bobacats (soon to be Hornets) with a 19.9% chance to take home the first pick. They are followed, in order, by Cleveland, Phoenix, New Orleans, Sacramento, Detroit, Washington, Minnesota, Portland, Philadelphia, Toronto, Dallas and Utah.

The Sacramento Kings (6.3% chance at first pick) are in the lottery for the seventh straight season, the longest current streak.

Tune into ESPN tonight 8:30 PM ET to see who comes away with the first overall pick. Following the lottery will be Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals between the Memphis Grizzlies and San Antonio Spurs.

BREAKING: Stan Van Gundy just told us he WILL NOT be a head coach in the NBA next season. It’s a family decision.

— David Baumann (@DavidBaumann33) May 21, 2013

Stan Van Gundy also told us he HAS NOT interviewed with any teams, although several teams had contacted him and he keeps telling them no.

— David Baumann (@DavidBaumann33) May 21, 2013

Stan Van Gundy: “The longer you are out, the more difficult it is to get back in… Right now it’s not in the best interest of my family.”

— David Baumann (@DavidBaumann33) May 21, 2013

Even though he made the decision not to return this year, Van Gundy will have suitors every time there are head coaching vacancies. Whether it’s two, or three, or five years down the line, it’s safe too say we’ll see Van Gundy coaching in the NBA again sometime soon.

May 15, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat point guard Norris Cole (30) reacts during the second half against the Chicago Bulls in game five of the second round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at American Airlines Arena. Miami Heat won 94-91. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

20. Norris Cole- The rest of Norris Cole’s postseason holds significance for not just the Miami Heat, but also for an entire hair style. Cole could end up being an off the bench catalyst for the Heat, and also an off the court catalyst for the high top fade hair style. Surely, Will Smith, Doug E. Fresh, Kid ‘N Play, and Big Daddy Kane are pulling for Norris Cole.

19. Justin Timberlake- Here is JT’s resume since September 2012: Became a minority owner of the Memphis Grizzlies… Got married to super-hot actress Jessica Biel… Released The 20/20 Experience… Retained his championship belt as “Coolest Man Alive”… and adding an NBA title on top of all of that is just unfair to every other man in the world, yet, I can’t help but root for him. He’s that damn cool.

18. Tayshaun Prince- A title for the Memphis Grizzlies would mean Tayshaun Prince was the starter on two NBA championship winners, as well as a member of a gold medal winning Olympic Team in 2008. That is a tremendous trivial nugget right there. You’re welcome for that! How many people in the world would know that about Tayshaun Prince? How many people even know Tayshaun Prince isn’t on the Pistons anymore? Regardless, two NBA titles, an Olympic gold medal, and being able to say he was one of the better perimeter defenders in the league for a five to seven year period equates to a pretty nice resume that Prince has built for himself.

17. Shane Battier- It can’t be a complete coincidence the Battier played for one of the great college teams of the 2000’s (2001 Duke Blue Devils) as well as the teams with the 2^nd and 3^rd longest win streaks in NBA history (this year’s Miami team, as well as the 2008 Rockets). There is just something about Battier that is vital to success. Maybe it’s the professionalism he brings to the table or his play on the court, but with a stretch of play as impressive as he was in last year’s Finals (11.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, 61% FG, 58% 3PT in 5 games), Battier could easily stumble into some “Poor Man’s Big Shot Bob” comparisons.

16. Ray Allen- The greatest shooter of all-time until Stephen Curry shatters all of his records is coming off the bench for the juggernaut Miami Heat, but that doesn’t mean his legacy wouldn’t be boosted with a 2^ndring and at least one trademark “Holy crap Ray Allen is really effing good at shooting” game in the next two rounds. My mom has been Ray Allen’s biggest critic over the last two rounds—I can almost hear her future self saying “He’s stunk so far! If Chris Bosh missed as many open shots as Ray Allen has you wouldn’t let me hear the end of it!”—but I keep telling her that the time will soon arrive when Ray Allen goes absolutely bonkers from behind the arc. Frankly I’m glad it hasn’t happened yet. Let’s save that game for some time in mid-June.

May 19, 2013; San Antonio, TX, USA; Memphis Grizzlies shooting guard Tony Allen (9) loses control of the ball during the third quarter against the San Antonio Spurs in game one of the Western Conference finals of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at AT

15. Tony Allen- Allen already has the well-deserved reputation as one of the best perimeter defenders in the league. He’s a relentless competitor whose personality and play is the driving force of this “Grit and Grind” Grizzlies team. Hell, his nickname is The Grindfather. Allen has as good of a chance as anyone to effectively “D-Up” any perimeter player in the entire world, so just imagine what a playoff run that could potentially include guarding Chris Paul, Kevin Durant, Tony Parker/Manu Ginobili, and LeBron James/Dwyane Wade would do for the perception of Tony Allen. To put this a little more simply: Tony Allen could very well take on the responsibility of guarding at least four of the top 12 players in the NBA for stretches of time over the course of the playoffs and that, coupled with a Grizzlies title, would seemingly establish Allen as one of the premier defensive players of his era. I’m sure it would almost make you forget about his offensive shortcomings and sometimes comedic attempts at fast break layups.

14. Roy Hibbert- After his evisceration of the Artist Formerly Known as Tyson Chandler last round, I’ve found opinion of Roy Hibbert turning drastically. I never thought that someone who was forced into playing basketball by his parents because tennis, golf and piano didn’t work out would eventually be twisting a member of the All-Defensive team into a pretzel in the post during the Conference Semi’s, while simultaneously making it impossible for the Knicks to score in the paint. Hibbert worked over Chandler pretty badly, and much to my surprise I’m actually pretty concerned with what he could do to Miami’s small ball lineup.  I don’t know that I’m prepared to live in a world where Roy Hibbert is the responsible party for why LeBron James won’t be winning a 2^nd NBA Title. The fact is the Pacers need Roy Hibbert to exploit Miami’s lack of size in order to have a shot of advancing to the Finals. If Hibbert could do that then I’m forced to eat all of the distasteful words I’ve spoken about Roy Hibbert since last spring.

13. Manu Ginobili- Although Ginobili’s role and productivity have diminished while his bald spot has grown larger, he’s still the third most important player for the Spurs title hopes, and similar to Ray Allen, it’s a foregone conclusion that there will be a few games every postseason when Manu is the x-factor. It’s just going to happen whether you expect it to or not. And if the Spurs win a title, there will be able least two games in the next two rounds where Ginobili carries the Spurs offense for a long stretch of time. You have to know how the story goes by now. He’ll have the Euro-step in full effect. He’ll be nailing step back jumpers and he’ll be finding teammates with Peyton Manning type accuracy. He’s a big game player, a truly unique player and one of the most accomplished foreign players to ever step on a basketball court. Ginobili already has three NBA titles, a Euroleague title and a Gold Medal. By my account, he only stands behind teammate Tony Parker in the discussion of best foreign guard ever.  And he killed an effing bat!

12. Zach Randolph- Yuck! Do you smell that? Yeesh, that’s terrible! Oh man, that must be the smell of Z-Bo’s 2 point, 7 rebound, 1-8 shooting and -28 +/- from Game 1 against San Antonio. We’ll cut this section short so the stink of that performance doesn’t get on anyone’s clothes.

Apr 28, 2013; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Miami Heat center Chris Bosh shoots a jumper over Milwaukee Bucks forward Ersan Ilyasova in game four of the first round of the 2013 NBA playoffs at the BMO Harris Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

11. Chris Bosh- Remember a few months ago when Chris Bosh said, and I quote, “Hell, yeah, of course. I’ve been a Hall of Famer like four years ago.” Unless back in 2008 Chris Bosh hopped into The DeLorean and gunned it to 2018 and saw a future where he would leave the Raptors and win not one, not two, not three (you get the idea) NBA Titles, then he would have no way of predicting he’d be a Hall of Famer. But in Bosh’s defense, I will say with another title he’s getting closer. In all likelihood, a Heat title this year would mean Bosh was the 3^rd best player on back to back title teams (or maybe the 2^nd best player on this year’s team if Dwyane Wade keeps playing like a wussy) and arguably the “Non-LeBron James Key Piece” for both teams as well.

May 15, 2013; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Memphis Grizzlies power forward Zach Randolph (50) misses a free throw during the second half of game five against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena. The Grizzlies defeated the Thunder 88-84. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Game 1 was a disaster for both Memphis and Zach Randolph. The Spurs blew out the Grizzlies 105-83, hitting 14-29 threes in the process.

Zach Randolph, meanwhile, shot just 1-8 for 2 points and grabbed just 7 rebounds in 28 minutes. After the game, Randolph wanted all the blame to be placed on him. According to a report from the USA Today’s Sam Amick, Randolph apologized to his teammates in the locker room following the loss.

From Mike Conley,

“He tried to apologize (in the locker room), and we wouldn’t accept that.” We said, ‘It’s not you; it’s all of us.’ He’s just saying that he’s going to do better, but we’ve all got to do better defensively, and offensively we’ve got to move the ball in order to get other guys open like Zach and play our game.”

Randolph, himself, had this to say,

“It’s just one of them nights, first game of the series for me,” he said. “It was just the rhythm of the game. … But I’ve got to be better. Like I told my teammates, I’ve got to be better for them and we’ve got to be better as a group.”

Despite the Game 1 loss, the tough, defensive-minded Grizzlies will surely bounce back. In their first two series, the team also lost Game 1 before winning the series.

Game 2 will be Tuesday in San Antonio at 9:00 PM EST on ESPN.

May 1, 2013; New York, NY, USA; Boston Celtics guard Terrence Williams (55) drives the lane in front of New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) during the first quarter of game five of the first round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Disappointing news being reported out of Washington today, as Celtics’ guard Terrence Williams was arrested on gun charges.

According to the report from Kent Reporter in Washington, the incident occurred when Williams went to meet the mother of his child for a scheduled visit.

During the visit, Williams and the woman started arguing and Williams “brandished a firearm and made threats.” Williams “left the area prior to police arrival, but was later located and taken into custody.”

Williams is signed for next season, but the contract is non-guaranteed.

Here at STS, we previewed the series in a roundtable format.

San Antonio Spurs:

Most Important Player:

Jack Maloney (@jmaloney9) – Manu Ginobili. He still found a way to make an impact despite the fact he didn’t score well in their series against the Warriors. And as important as his playmaking is, the Spurs need him to score if they want to beat the defensive minded Grizzlies.

May 16, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich (left) instructs point guard Tony Parker (9) against the Golden State Warriors during the third quarter in game six of the second round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena. The Spurs defeated the Warriors 94-82. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Sonny Guiliano (@SonnyCG) - For quite some time I’ve maintained the belief that in order for the Spurs to win an NBA title, Tim Duncan needs to resemble Tim Duncan from somewhere between 2003 and 2007. Maybe not for every single game, but Duncan needs to turn back the hands of time and deliver a few 25 point and 13 rebound games against the Grizzlies frontline for the Spurs to advance to the Finals.

Quentin Haynes (@Haynesenburg) – Kawhi Leonard. I think Leonard will be needed as a two-way player in this series. If I’m San Antonio, I’m throwing Leonard on Mike Conley in the fourth quarter to disrupt their offense. On the offensive side, I think Leonard needs to put pressure on Prince and Memphis’ other wings by hitting corner threes.

Vijay Shravah – Manu Ginobili. We know what Duncan is going to bring. We know what Tony Parker is going to bring. But Ginobili is the single biggest wildcard the Spurs have. After taking it relatively easy since returning from injury, he is going to have to play great to overcome Memphis’ other advantages.

Biggest Strength

JM – Their foundation. Coach Popovich, Duncan, Ginobili and Parker lead the way, and in their footsteps everyone follows.

SG – The Spurs have the playoff chops that the Grizzlies in large part don’t. They’ve been in this position before. This is the 8^th time in the Duncan/Popovich era that the Spurs have been to the Western Conference Finals. This is the 1^st appearance in the Conference Finals for Memphis in their franchise’s history, and only Tayshaun Prince, Tony Allen and Keyon Dooling have been there before. It’s much more likely that the Grizzlies get swallowed up by the pressure of the big stage than the Spurs.

QH – Guard play. Memphis has wings, but the Spurs have Manu Ginobili, Danny Green, and Leonard; all three should be able to change at least one or two games in this series.

VS – Coaching. Gregg Popovich is the best in the business when it comes to analyzing matchups and making adjustments on the fly.  Lionel Hollins has never coached a Conference Finals, while Pop has done it a billion times.

Biggest Weakness

JM – Frontcourt. After Duncan, the Spurs are thin up front. Getting Tiago Splitter back is big, but the Spurs will still have a tough time dealing with both Gasol and Randolph. Splitter’s defense will be an x-factor in this series. If he can contain one of the Grizzlies’ big men, it will go a long way in deciding this series.

SG – This series ultimately boils down to three key matchups- Who wins the coaching matchup (Popovich vs. Hollins), which “Big Three” produces the most (Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili vs. Gasol, Randolph, and Conley), and what team gets the most from everyone else? There lies the “weakness” of both teams. Is there any guarantee that Kawhi Leonard, Danny Green, Tiago Splitter, Gary Neal, Tayshaun Prince, Tony Allen, Jerryd Bayless, or Quincy Pondexter can produce offensively on a nightly basis? Absolutely not.

QH – Honestly? No clue. I don’t like their bench much, but guys like Diaw, Manu, and Mills/Joseph do the best they can in their roles.

VS – Depth. The Spurs role players and bench have not been giving them much this postseason, hence the struggles against a young and athletic Warriors team in their last series. Tiago Splitter, Kawhi Leonard, and Boris Diaw must make significant contributions to match the bigger and deeper Grizzlies.

Memphis Grizzlies:

Most Important Player

JM – Mike Conley. He was amazing in the series against the Thunder, averaging 18 points, 6.8 assists, and 6.4 rebounds a game. Whether or not he can keep this up while also trying to shut down Parker on the defensive end will be a big key for Memphis if they want to win this series.

SG – It’s a dead heat between Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph. You can’t force me to choose just one because essentially, the Grizzlies need only one of their two front court stars to match or surpass the play of Tim Duncan for Memphis to have a very good chance of beating San Antonio. And as you’ll see with my pick, I don’t see this being too big of a task.

QH – Mike Conley. Conley needs to put the team on his back during this series and play Tony Parker to a draw. His ability to run this offense will be key to keep Memphis in this game offensively.

VS – Zarc Ransol. I think the play of the team’s two-headed monster down low is going to decide the series. Duncan is going to match up with one of them, but can’t stop both. Whoever Duncan is not guarding will have to impose his will in the paint.

Biggest Strength

JM – Defense. They have the Defensive Player of the Year in Marc Gasol (who somehow found himself on the 2^nd Team All-Defense), Tony Allen (1^st Team All-Defense) and Mike Conley (2^nd Team All-Defense) all in their starting lineup. San Antonio is one of the most efficient offensive teams in the league, but the Grizzlies have the ability to disrupt them.

SG – The Spurs waltzed through the 1^st two rounds without Parker and Ginobili having to deal with defenders that could give them a headache. That won’t be the case against the Grizzlies. Tony Allen (1^st Team All-Defense) and Mike Conley (2^nd Team All-Defense) will be hounding Parker and Ginobili all game long, which will put the pressure on Duncan (dealing with Gasol and Randolph) and an unproven supporting cast to be able to create their own shots.

May 15, 2013; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol (33) warms up before game five of the second round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

QH – The big man combination of Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph.

VS – Defense. With the two All-NBA defenders in their starting five, it is going to be very tough for perimeter creators Parker and Ginobili to get anything going. Tony Allen will probably be assigned to Parker through some spurts throughout the series. And there is little doubt who the Defensive Player of the Year will be guarding.

Biggest Weakness

JM – Three-point shooting. Over the course of the playoffs, the Grizzlies have shot just 31% from downtown. So far, however, it hasn’t slowed them down. But if Conley, Prince, and Pondexter can knock down some threes, it will be a huge boost to their offense.

SG – This series ultimately boils down to three key matchups- Who wins the coaching matchup (Popovich vs. Hollins), which “Big Three” produces the most (Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili vs. Gasol, Randolph, and Conley), and what team gets the most from everyone else? There lies the “weakness” of both teams. Is there any guarantee that Kawhi Leonard, Danny Green, Tiago Splitter, Gary Neal, Tayshaun Prince, Tony Allen, Jerryd Bayless, or Quincy Pondexter can produce offensively on a nightly basis? Absolutely not.

QH – Offense, especially in the final five minutes. Memphis needs to have a lead, or be down as little as one to really win games. I’m just not a fan of that, and San Antonio has two wing players that could defend Mike Conley, and that could spell out trouble.

VS – Perimeter half-court offense. I’ve maintained for months that trading Rudy Gay was a bad idea, and the Grizz have sure made me look bad in that regard. But against a gritty Spurs team looking to clog the interior against the Gasol-Randolph tandem, they may have to rely on outside scoring from Conley and Jerryd Bayless. Without a guy like Gay, that may be tough. But they’ve gotten this far without him, so maybe it’s not a glaring weakness.

Series Prediction:

JM – I think this will be a great series, and I can see it going either way. I’m going with Memphis in 6, but not with a ton of confidence.

SG – Memphis in 6

QH – I have San Antonio in 6. I REALLY want to go in five, but I respect Memphis. I think the Spurs have everything needed to stop (contain) the wings and bigs of Memphis. If Splitter can give the Spurs 20 minutes, I think San Antonio is going to the finals.

VS – Memphis in 6. I picked against them every round so far, and I’m not foolish enough to do it again. This is a tough bunch that truly embraces the pound-and-grind style that seems to always win in the postseason.

May 14, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers point guard George Hill (3) and Indiana Pacers power forward David West (21) celebrate after wining the game in game four of the second round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The Pacers won 93-82. Mandatory Credit: Pat Lovell-USA TODAY Sports

Later tonight, the Pacers will take on the Knicks in Game 6 of their second round series. With a 3-2 series lead, the Pacers are looking to make their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance since the 1999-2000 season.

Looking to help them knock off the Knicks will be point guard George Hill, who just a short while ago, was cleared to play tonight.

BREAKING: The Pacers’ team physicians have cleared George Hill to play in tonight’s game.More details: bit.ly/13x2rsA

— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) May 18, 2013

Hill did not play in Game 5 after suffering a concussion. Without him, the Pacers lost in New York 85-75 in an ugly affair. Hill’s return will be a big boost, as over the course of the series, he has averaged 17.3 points, 4.5 assists and 4.8 rebounds a game.

Game 6 tips at 8 PM EST. on ESPN.

He jumped to defend Boris Diaw and had his legs taken out from under him. Without enough time to brace his fall, he fell directly on his side. It also appeared that he hit his head against the ground when he landed.

After staying on the ground for a few minutes, Barnes was able to walk off under his own power while an athletic trainer held gauze to his head to treat a possible head injury.

It was a scary moment, but hopefully Barnes will be okay.

(Thanks to @HPBasketball for the video)

Apr 23, 2013; New York, NY, USA; Boston Celtics head coach Doc Rivers reacts on the sidelines against the New York Knicks during game two in the first round of the 2013 NBA playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

As has been the case for the last few years, there was a brief period of speculation regarding whether or not Doc Rivers would return to the bench in Boston.

Following the end of each season, Rivers has needed a few days to mull the decision over with his family and decide whether he was up for another year. Yet every time, he has made the decision to come back.

This year was no different. Following the Celtics’ Playoff loss to the Knicks in six games, Rivers said he was unsure if he would be back with the team next season. Today, however, general manager Danny Ainge confirmed that Rivers will return to coach the Celtics for the 2013-2014 season.

Danny Ainge confirms that Doc Rivers is returning next season as #celtics coach. “We’ve got a coach everybody would love to have.”

— gary washburn (@GwashNBAGlobe) May 16, 2013

This is great news for the Celtics, who will be going through a transition period next year. With multiple changes to the roster possible, it will be good to have a familiar face in charge.

May 15, 2013; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) attempts a shot against Memphis Grizzlies guard Tony Allen (9) and Grizzlies center Marc Gasol (33) during the second half in game five of the second round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena. The Grizzlies defeated the Thunder 88-84. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Without their point guard Russell Westbrook, the series against the tough Grizzlies was always going to be difficult for the Thunder.

After winning Game 1 thanks to some late game heroics from Kevin Durant, the Thunder lost four straight to fall out of the playoffs. In the end, the well-rounded Grizzlies were too much for the short-handed Thunder. Mike Conley played a fantastic series, leading the way from point guard, Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph were too much down low, and Tony Allen was able to frustrate the Thunder defensively.

It was a disappointing end to what had been a phenomenal regular season in Oklahoma City. But despite the loss, Durant was trying to think positively following the loss. After the game, he had this to say,

“I gave all I have for my team. I left it all out there on the floor. I missed 16 shots, but I kept fighting, kept being aggressive, and that’s all I could ask for. It is what it is. It’s tough to swallow right now, but I’m sure we’re going to look back on this down the line and really appreciate this tough time. It’s something we’ve got to embrace and get better from. It’s tough to lose your last game in the playoffs so you’ve just got to move on.”

He added,

“Every one of these games came down to the last few minutes. It’s unfortunate we didn’t come out on the winning side except for once. Like I said, down the line we are going to look back on this and really appreciate it. Sometimes you’ve got to right out some storms to get to sunshine.”

“I have peace because this is when we really had to come together. You really seen us grow as a group. The only way I’d be frustrated is if we came in here with attitude because Russ is out or we missed shots or we lost the game, and nobody did that. We kept our spirits up. We were always positive and that was the best part about it. No matter how you lose, you couldn’t ask for nothing else man.”

“These guys, I love playing with them. Some days you come in and you get upset with each other, that’s just life. But at the end of the day I love all those guys, we all love each other and it was a joy fighting with each other, this playoff run, this whole season. So it wasn’t frustrating. Of course it was a little tougher than usual, but we made the best out of it.”

Durant has become the league’s second best player, and at just 24, is still improving, as scary as that sounds. Westbrook, also 24, will be healthy for next season and ready to lead the offense in his ferocious, full-speed ahead style. And the big man Serge Ibaka; a very good interior defender with room to grow both offensively and defensively is only 23 years old.

As good as the Thunder have been the last few years, they are still incredibly young and have room to grow. They’ve been to two Conference Finals and an NBA Finals and come up short both times, but Westbrook’s injury was the first real adversity the team had faced.

The team will be back again next year to fight for the Western Conference crown, and with a healthy roster, they should once again be favorites to come away with it.

(Thanks to @HPBasketball for the video)