Cleveland was done in by another Paul Pierce taking-over-the-game routine (35 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists) , Boston winning 114-107 in OT. Some credit to Danny Ainge ; with Antoine Walker counting the days until he can leave a floundering Atlanta club, Raef LaFrentz is asserting himself on the boards , particularly on the defensive end.


(Thankfully for everyone concerned, LeBron misheard the heckler and thought he was encourage to “please stop Paul Pierce)

Lest no one accuse Paul Silas of taking a cavalier attitude towards player dissent (sorry),the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Branson Wright covers the Cavs’ coach and his unseemly spat with Eric Snow.

Paul Silas was an intense and often intimidating player who collected three championship rings during his 16-year career. Small scars on his face show Silas’ toughness. He has the same no-nonsense approach as a coach.

Silas displayed that attitude during the second quarter of the Cavaliers-Pistons game at The Palace in Auburn Hills on Thursday night when he confronted guard Eric Snow. The same Snow who is considered one of the good guys in the league because of his commitments to charities and community services.

t began when Silas put Snow in for Jeff McInnis early in the second quarter. Forward Anderson Varejao turned the ball over on an eight-second violation. That upset Silas because Snow didn’t handle the ball. Silas quickly yelled for McInnis to replace Snow.

As Snow came off the court, he asked Silas why he was replaced and Silas said that he didn’t want to hear it. Snow cursed and Silas assumed those words were directed at him. Silas had to be restrained by assistant coach Kenny Natt as he got into Snow’s face. Silas sent Snow to the locker room. Snow returned with the team after halftime, but he remained on the bench.

Silas declined to comment about the heated conversation after the game, but he became irate after a reporter continued to ask him about Snow. Silas wanted to know if the reporter understood that he didn’t want to discuss the matter anymore and his comments about “Am I speaking Chinese?” followed. That comment received national attention.

Snow was suspended without pay for tonight’s game against Boston. Though it should be said that if Silas were speaking Chinese, there are players and fans that would’ve understood him (though presumably not Cleveland beat writers).

Even after watching the highlights of Allan Iverson dropping 56 on the Bucks this evening, I’m baffled. I mean, how difficult would it have been for Milwaukee to have quintuple-teamed A.I.?