Brown has rarely been used in the current series with Chicago (tied at 2 games apiece), missing all of last night’s Wizards victory with an alleged stomach virus.
A number of new organizations are reporting that Chicago’s Ben Gordon (above) and Charlotte’s Emeka Okafor will be named winners of the league’s Sixth Man and Rookie Of The Year awards, respectively.
If you didn’t catch David Aldridge’s interview with David Stern last night during the Rockets/Mavericks game, you missed a doozy. The Commish responded to Jeff Van Gundy’s allegations that Yao Ming is judged by a different standard by referees with the following comment :
“If he’s going to say things like that, he’s not going to continue in this league. If the attitude reflected in those comments continues to be public, he’s going to have a big problem with me as long as I’m commissioner.”
Wow. We all know what Roy Tarpley did to receive a lifetime ban. Apparently, he would’ve been wacked much sooner if he’d publicly questioned the integrity of the NBA. The Houston Chronicle’s Richard Justice chimes in.
Van Gundy’s stance infuriated Stern, who was at his condescending best Monday night when he said the matter wasn’t closed. He said he’d decide whether Van Gundy could return as coach next season.
“I don’t want to restrict any option,” Stern said. “It’s not over.”
Oh, please.
Presumably before he throws Van Gundy out, he’ll sit down and watch some video. If he does, he’ll see there’s a problem.
Van Gundy said the specific calls weren’t the thing that upset him. He said it was the fact that the complaints of one owner, Dallas’ Mark Cuban, would lead the NBA to have referees look more closely at one player.
How could Stern be upset about this? Cuban admitted he’d filed the complaint. He said someone in the league office admitted some calls had been blown.
At a time when the Rockets are furious at the way Yao is treated, the last thing Van Gundy wanted to hear is that officials are going to cut him even less slack.
And by taking those complaints public, he turned the debate away from those fourth-quarter meltdowns in Games 3 and 4.
If it was a diversion, it failed. Some of his players weren’t even aware of the storm their coach had started.
“No kidding? He said that?” David Wesley said.