COMMENTARY: EAST ALSO-RANS BATTLE FIERCELY.Byline: Sam Smith Chicago Tribune Chicago Tribune Daily newspaper published in Chicago. The Tribune is one of the leading U.S. newspapers and long has been the dominant voice of the Midwest. Founded in 1847, it was bought in 1855 by six partners, including Joseph Medill (1823–99), who made the paper The best race in the NBA NBA abbr. 1. National Basketball Association 2. National Boxing Association NBA (US) n abbr (= National Basketball Association) → Basketball-Dachverband (= this season is going on in the Eastern Conference and it doesn't involve the Bulls, the Indiana Pacers “Pacers” redirects here. For other uses, see Pacers (disambiguation). The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team that plays in the National Basketball Association (NBA). or the Miami Heat The Miami Heat (known as the HEAT [in all capital letters] on official team publications) are a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. They play in the National Basketball Association (NBA). . It's among the Washington Wizards, Orlando Magic The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the National Basketball Association (NBA). History Early years The Orlando Magic officially entered the NBA as an expansion franchise in 1989. , Cleveland Cavaliers The Cleveland Cavaliers (also known as the Cavs) are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a 1970 expansion team and won their first Eastern Conference Championship in 2007. , Detroit Pistons The Detroit Pistons are a team in the National Basketball Association based in the Detroit metropolitan area. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. Franchise history From Fort Wayne to Detroit and Milwaukee Bucks The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They play in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The current franchise owner is U.S. Senator Herb Kohl. , who head into March battling for one playoff spot, the last, in the conference. With seven weeks left in the regular season, the race to get swept by the Bulls in the playoffs is perhaps the most competitive. All five teams came into the season expecting to make the playoffs, and failure to do so could mean the loss of a job for the coaches of the Pistons, Bucks and Wizards. And they might not be alone. With the possible exception of Detroit, any of those five teams could get hot and pass Charlotte, Atlanta, New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of or New Jersey. The Bucks haven't been to the playoffs since 1991, and, aside from the Pistons, they're probably the longest shots to qualify this season. Not counting expansion Toronto, the Bucks and 76ers have gone the longest in the East without making the postseason. ``If you look at Cleveland, they're sliding,'' Milwaukee's Ray Allen Not to be confused with Ray Alan or Allan Ray. Walter Ray Allen (born July 20, 1975) is an American professional basketball player for the NBA's Boston Celtics, for whom he plays shooting guard. He has also played for the Milwaukee Bucks and Seattle SuperSonics. said. ``Washington, they're sliding. Atlanta has had a great slide. There are only three or four teams that have solidified spots.'' A bigger concern for the Bucks might be making sure they retain Allen, a second-year shooting guard who is quietly emerging as a star. With Terrell Brandon out, Allen has taken on some of the point-guard duties and has shown a remarkably versatile game, barely missing a triple-double five times in the past seven games while averaging 24.5 points and about eight assists and eight rebounds in his last eight games going into the weekend. Some questioned the wisdom of the Bucks trading the rights to Stephon Marbury for Allen, but Allen is saying he would like to stay in Milwaukee, and Marbury has talked about leaving Minnesota. ``Of course, I always see different teams in different places we play,'' Allen said. ``But that's never prompted me to say, `I need to move.' I'm content here. I'm going to do more than listen to what they have to say.'' Duncan has been super: Forget Rookie of the Year Rookie of the Year may refer to:
The Spurs, who start a road trip this week, are being patient with Robinson, who is averaging 22.7 points and 11 rebounds. Avery Johnson said: ``We want him back when he's near 100 percent. I'd rather have him back for the Bulls game (March 14) if he's healthy and ready for the rest of the year. We don't want a situation like Milwaukee has with Terrell Brandon, where he came back (from an ankle injury) and now he's out again, maybe for the rest of the year.'' Resisting trades: Several players - such as Kenny Anderson, Rony Seikaly and Doug West - said they wouldn't go when traded before the deadline, and others threatened not to report to their new teams. Then there was Utah's Chris Morris, who was disappointed he didn't get sent to Orlando for Seikaly. ``I'm angry I am back,'' he said. ``I was looking forward to going there and playing. It's just an unfortunate thing I have to be back here.'' TOP 10 AND NO. 29 1. Chicago: Blazers ended win streak at eight games; so Bulls go only 32-1 after the break. 2. Seattle: Three losses in last six games keeps Pacific Division interesting. 3. Utah: Beat by Heat in playoff-type game; Mailman delivers 28 and 17 in win over Suns. 4. Lakers: Ed-die, Ed-die, Ed-die; 20 points on 7-of-9 shooting in 96-89 win over Pacers, 20 on 8 of 14 in win over Bucks. 5. Miami: El Nino can't cool off Heat; smokin' after 4-0 western swing, including win over Jazz. 6. San Antonio: Can the fleet stay afloat without the Admiral? 7. Indiana: Reg-gie, Reg-gie, Reg-gie; 12 points on 4-of-17 shooting in 96-89 loss to Lakers. 8. New Jersey: 32 wins, already more than three previous seasons. 9. Phoenix: Streaking Suns; two straight losses after five straight wins. 10. Atlanta: Henderson has Hawks flyin' high. 29. Denver: 33-1/2 back with 26 to play; start looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. good-luck charm to bring to draft lottery. TECHNICAL FOUL Gary Trent, Toronto The 6-8 forward, who was acquired from Portland in a Feb. 13 trade, was sentenced to five days in jail for violating his probation after an altercation with a man who was staying at his house. Trent, who was placed on probation for one year and sentenced to therapy for harassing his pregnant girlfriend in March, 1997, choked and punched the man after he set off a burglar alarm in Trent's house. Charges were dropped after a judge was told Trent was seeing a psychologist to control his anger and an out-of-court settlement An agreement reached between the parties in a pending lawsuit that resolves the dispute to their mutual satisfaction and occurs without judicial intervention, supervision, or approval. was reached with the man. But a Portland, Ore., district attorney filed a motion saying Trent violated his probation by attacking the man. Trent, who already has been fined for having too many false alarms at his house, will serve his sentence when the season ends. PLAYER WATCH Alan Henderson, Atlanta The former University of Indiana star is in the midst Adv. 1. in the midst - the middle or central part or point; "in the midst of the forest"; "could he walk out in the midst of his piece?" midmost of his third season with the Hawks and has averaged 20.6 points and 8.1 rebounds since moving into the starting lineup seven games ago. The 16th overall selection of the 1995 NBA Draft converted 10 of 11 shots from the floor, including his first seven in the first half, in Wednesday's 112-88 win over the Denver Nuggets Nuggets can refer to several branches of interest:
L.A. AT PLAY CLIPPERS Tuesday at Houston, 5:30 p.m. Thursday at Dallas, 5:30 p.m. LAKERS Today at New York, 10 a.m. Monday at Washington, 6 p.m. Wednesday vs. Indiana, 7:30 p.m. Friday vs. San Antonio, 7:30 p.m. --- Anthony Buccino CAPTION(S): Box BOX: TOP 10 AND NO. 29 (see text) |
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