News from May 31.

Dirk Nowitzki (Dal) underwent successful surgery on his left ankle to 
remove 4 bone spurs.  He is expected to be out of basketball related 
activities for 4 to 6 weeks. 

Greg Ostertag (Uta) is scheduled to undergo surgery June 27 to donate one
of his kidneys to his sister.  The kidney donation is not expected to
affect his NBA career.

Chris Marcus (junior, Western Kentucky, junior) withdrew his name from the
NBA draft.


LAL 106, Sac 102 - at LAL
Rick Fox (LAL) had 11 points.
Shaquille O'Neal (LAL) had 41 points including 13-17 FT, 17 rebounds, and
6 turnovers.
Kobe Bryant (LAL) had 31 points including 11-11 FT, 11 rebounds, and 5
assists.
Chris Webber (Sac) had 26 points, 13 rebounds, and 8 assists.
Vlade Divac (Sac) had 12 points including 5-16 FG and 12 rebounds.
Mike Bibby (sac) had 23 points including 7-20 FG.
LAL shot 34-40 FT and Sac shot 18-25 FT.
The series is tied 3-3.

NJ 96, Bos 88 - at Bos
Kenyon Martin (NJ) had 16 points including 5-17 FG, 7 rebounds, and 5
assists.
Keith Van Horn (NJ) had 11 points and 6 rebounds.
Jason Kidd (NJ) had 15 points including 6-18 FG, 13 rebounds, and 13
assists.
Richard Jefferson (NJ) had 15 points.
Antoine Walker (Bos) had 16 points including 7-20 FG and 1-9 3-pointers, 9
rebounds, and 3 steals.
Kenny Anderson (Bos) had 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists.
Paul Pierce (Bos) had 14 points including 5-16 FG and 7 rebounds.
Vitaly Potapenko (Bos, torn left ACL) did not play.
New Jersey takes the series 4-2 and advances to the NBA Finals where they
will face the winner of the Sac-LAL series.


Playoff Standings
  1st Round          2nd Round             3rd Round            Finals
  (Best of 5)        (Best of 7)           (Best of 7)          (Best of 7)
1 Sac. (3) _____
8 Utah (1)      |_ 1 Sacramento (4) __
                 _ 4 Dallas (1)       |
4 Dallas (3) ___|                     |_ 1 Sacramento (3) _
5 Minn. (0)                            _ 3 LA Lakers (3)   |
                                      |                    |
2 San Ant. (3) _                      |                    |
7 Seattle (2)   |_ 2 San Antonio (1) _|                    |
                 _ 3 LA Lakers (4)                         |
3 LA Lakers (3)_|                                          |
6 Portland (0)                                             |_ ___________
                                                            _ 1 New Jersey (0)
                                                           |
1 New Jer. (3) _                                           |
8 Indiana (2)   |_ 1 New Jersey (4) __                     |
                 _ 4 Charlotte (1)    |                    |
4 Charl. (3) ___|                     |                    |
5 Orlando (1)                         |_ 1 New Jersey (4) _|
                                       _ 3 Boston (2)     
2 Detroit (3) __                      |
7 Toronto (2)   |_ 2 Detroit (1) _____|
                 _ 3 Boston (4)     
3 Boston (3) ___|
6 Phila. (2)