News from May 3. The NBA fined Dallas $25,000 for showing a cartoon that made fun of several Sacramento players prior to the Sal-Dal game on March 24. Kevin Garnett (Min) won the Most Valuable Player award. Garnett received 120 of a possible 123 1st place media votes. Total position votes (119 media votes) Player Points 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Kevin Garnett (Min) ..... 1219 120 2 1 0 0 Tim Duncan (SA) ......... 716 0 72 34 13 3 Jermaine O'Neal (Ind) ... 523 2 29 46 17 19 Peja Stojakovic (Sac) ... 281 1 8 16 34 33 Kobe Bryant (LAL) ....... 212 0 7 14 22 27 Shaquille O'Neal (LAL) .. 178 0 5 11 23 19 Ben Wallace (Det) ....... 24 0 0 0 5 9 Jason Kidd (NJ) ......... 17 0 0 0 5 2 LeBron James (Cle) ...... 11 0 0 1 1 3 Baron Davis (NO) ........ 4 0 0 0 1 1 Sam Cassell (Min) ....... 4 0 0 0 1 1 Dirk Nowitzki (Dal) ..... 4 0 0 0 1 1 Andrei Kirilenko (Uta) .. 2 0 0 0 0 2 Yao Ming (Hou) .......... 1 0 0 0 0 1 Michael Redd (Mil) ...... 1 0 0 0 0 1 Carmelo Anthony (Den) ... 1 0 0 0 0 1 Odartely Blankson (junior, UNLV, forward), Al Jefferson (high school senior, Prentiss High School (MS), forward), J.R. Smith (high school senior, St. Benedict's (NJ), guard), and Shaun Livingston (high school senior, Peioria Central HS (IL), guard) declared themselves eligible for the NBA draft. Det 78, NJ 56 at Det Tayshaun Prince (Det) had 15 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists. Ben Wallace (Det) had 13 points including 5-10 FT, 11 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 4 steals. Richard Hamilton (Det) had 15 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists. Keynon Martin (NJ) had 11 points including 4-11 FG and 5 rebounds. Kerry Kittles (NJ) had 15 points. Det shot 47.6% (30-63) FG and NJ shot 27.1% (19-70) FG. Det out-rebounded NJ 48-29 including 5-7 offensive. NJ's 56 points was the 2nd lowest point total in NBA history (lowest: 54). They also set the record for lowest FG% (old: 27.5%) and FGM (old: 21). Det leads the series 1-0. Playoff Standings 1st Round 2nd Round 3rd Round Finals (Best of 7) (Best of 7) (Best of 7) (Best of 7) 1 Minnesota (4) ____ 8 Denver (1) |_ 1 Minnesota (0) __ _ 4 Sacramento (0) | 4 Sacramento (4) ___| |_ __ 5 Dallas (1) _ | | | 2 LA Lakers (4) ____ | | 7 Houston (1) |_ 2 LA Lakers (0) _| | _ 3 San Antonio (1) | 3 San Antonio (4) __| | 6 Memphis (0) |_ _ | 1 Indiana (4) ______ | 8 Boston (0) |_ 1 Indiana (0) ____ | _ | | 4 Miami (3) ________| | | 5 New Orleans (3) |_ __| _ 2 New Jersey (4) ___ | 7 New York (0) |_ 2 New Jersey (0) _| _ 3 Detroit (1) 3 Detroit (4) ______| 6 Milwaukee (1) First Round (Central times) *if necessary Tuesday, May 4 Game 7: New Orleans at Miami 6:00 pm TNT Second Round (Central times) *if necessary Tuesday, May 4 Game 1: Sacramento at Minnesota 8:30 pm TNT Wednesday, May 5 Game 2: LA Lakers at San Antonio 8:00 pm TNT Thursday, May 6 Game 1: Mia/NO at Indiana 8:00 pm TNT Friday, May 7 Game 2: New Jersey at Detroit 7:00 pm ESPN Saturday, May 8 Game 2: Mia/NO at Indiana 6:00 pm Game 2: Sacramento at Minnesota 8:30 pm ESPN Sunday, May 9 Game 3: San Antonio at LA Lakers 2:30 pm ABC Game 3: Detroit at New Jersey 7:00 pm TNT Monday, May 10 Game 3: Indiana at Mia/NO 7:00 pm TNT Game 3: Minnesota at Sacramento 9:30 pm TNT Tuesday, May 11 Game 4: Detroit at New Jersey 7:00 pm TNT Game 4: LA Lakers at San Antonio 9:30 pm TNT Wednesday, May 12 Game 4: Indiana at Mia/NO 7:00 pm ESPN Game 4: Minnesota at Sacramento 9:30 pm ESPN Thursday, May 13 *Game 5: LA Lakers at San Antonio 7:00 pm ESPN Friday, May 14 *Game 5: New Jersey at Detroit TBA TNT *Game 5: Sacramento at Minnesota TBA TNT Saturday, May 15 *Game 5: Mia/NO at Indiana TBA *Game 6: San Antonio at LA Lakers TBA TNT Sunday, May 16 *Game 6: Detroit at New Jersey TBA *Game 6: Minnesota at Sacramento TBA Tuesday, May 18 *Game 6: Indiana at Mia/NO 7:00 pm Wednesday, May 19 *Game 7: Sacramento at Minnesota TBA *Game 7: LA Lakers at San Antonio TBA Thursday, May 20 *Game 7: New Jersey at Detroit TBA *Game 7: Mia/NO at Indiana TBA