News from April 17. The NBA named Kobe Bryant (LAL) and Hedo Turkoglu (Orl) as Players of the Month for April. Bryant averaged 26.1 points and 5.5 assists as the Lakers went 7-1. Turkoglu averaged 19.8 points and 6.4 assists as Orlando went 5-3. The NBA named Phil Jackson (LAL) and Doc Rivers (Bos) as Coaches of the Month for April. The Lakers went 7-1 and Boston went 8-1. The NBA named Kevin Durant (Sea) and Ramon Sessions (Mil) as Rookies of the Month for April. Durant averaged 24.3 points and 6.4 rebounds as Seattle went 3-5. Sessions averaged 11.5 points, 11.3 assists, and 4.9 rebounds as Milwaukee went 2-8. Chicago fired interim head coach Jim Boylan. Milwaukee fired head coach Larry Krystkowiak. Mouhamed Sene (Sea) underwent microfracture surgery on his right knee. Kevin Love (freshman, UCLA, center), Russell Westbrook (sophomore, UCLA, guard), Brandon Rush (junior, Kansas, guard), and Darrell Arthur (sophomore, Kansas, forward) declared themselves eligible for the NBA draft. Keith Brumbaugh (sophomore, Hillsborough Community College, forward), J.J. Hickson (freshman, North Carolina State, forward), Lester Hudson (junior, Tennessee-Martin, guard), Shawn James (junior, Duquesne, center-forward), and Lorrenzo Wade (junior, San Diego State, forward) declared themselves eligible for the NBA draft. [thanks to Jed Tai] Earl Clark (sophomore, Louisville, forward) changed his mind and decided not to declare for the NBA draft (and never formally submitted the paperwork). [thanks to Jed Tai] Playoff Standings 1st Round 2nd Round 3rd Round Finals (Best of 7) (Best of 7) (Best of 7) (Best of 7) 1 LA Lakers (0) _ __ 8 Denver (0) |_ __ _ | 4 Utah (0) ______| |_ __ 5 Houston (0) _ | | | 2 New Orleans (0) __ | | 7 Dallas (0) |_ __| | _ | 3 San Antonio (0) __| | 6 Phoenix (0) |_ _ | 1 Boston (0) ______ | 8 Atlanta (0) |_ __ | _ | | 4 Cleveland (0) ___| | | 5 Washington (0) |_ __| _ 2 Detroit (0) _ | 7 Philadelphia (0) |_ __| _ 3 Orlando (0) ______| 6 Toronto (0) First Round (Central times) *if necessary Saturday, April 19 Game 1: Washington at Cleveland 11:30 am ESPN Game 1: Phoenix at San Antonio 2:00 pm ABC Game 1: Dallas at New Orleans 6:00 pm ESPN Game 1: Utah at Houston 8:30 pm ESPN Sunday, April 20 Game 1: Toronto at Orlando 11:30 am TNT Game 1: Denver at LA Lakers 2:00 pm ABC Game 1: Philadelphia at Detroit 5:00 pm TNT Game 1: Atlanta at Boston 7:30 pm TNT Monday, April 21 Game 2: Washington at Cleveland 6:00 pm TNT Game 2: Utah at Houston 8:30 pm TNT Tuesday, April 22 Game 2: Dallas at New Orleans 6:00 pm TNT Game 2: Toronto at Orlando 6:30 pm NBATV Game 2: Phoenix at San Antonio 8:30 pm TNT Wednesday, April 23 Game 2: Philadelphia at Detroit 6:30 pm NBATV Game 2: Atlanta at Boston 7:00 pm TNT Game 2: Denver at LA Lakers 9:30 pm TNT Thursday, April 24 Game 3: Orlando at Toronto 6:30 pm NBATV Game 3: Cleveland at Washington 7:00 pm TNT Game 3: Houston at Utah 9:30 pm TNT Friday, April 25 Game 3: Detroit at Philadelphia 6:00 pm ESPN2 Game 3: New Orleans at Dallas 7:00 pm ESPN Game 3: San Antonio at Phoenix 9:30 pm ESPN Saturday, April 26 Game 4: Orlando at Toronto 2:00 pm TNT Game 3: LA Lakers at Denver 4:30 pm TNT Game 3: Boston at Atlanta 7:00 pm ESPN Game 4: Houston at Utah 9:30 pm ESPN Sunday, April 27 Game 4: Cleveland at Washington 12:00 pm ABC Game 4: San Antonio at Phoenix 2:30 pm ABC Game 4: Detroit at Philadelphia 6:00 pm TNT Game 4: New Orleans at Dallas 8:30 pm TNT Monday, April 28 *Game 5: Toronto at Orlando 6:30 pm NBATV Game 4: Boston at Atlanta 7:00 pm TNT Game 4: LA Lakers at Denver 9:30 pm TNT Tuesday, April 29 *Game 5: Dallas at New Orleans TBA *Game 5: Phoenix at San Antonio TBA *Game 5: Utah at Houston TBA *Game 5: Philadelphia at Detroit TBA Wednesday, April 30 *Game 5: Denver at LA Lakers TBA *Game 5: Atlanta at Boston TBA *Game 5: Washington at Cleveland TBA Thursday, May 1 *Game 6: New Orleans at Dallas TBA *Game 6: San Antonio at Phoenix TBA *Game 6: Detroit at Philadelphia TBA *Game 6: Orlando at Toronto TBA Friday, May 2 *Game 6: LA Lakers at Denver TBA *Game 6: Houston at Utah TBA *Game 6: Boston at Atlanta TBA *Game 6: Cleveland at Washington TBA Saturday, May 3 *Game 7: Dallas at New Orleans TBA *Game 7: Phoenix at San Antonio TBA *Game 7: Philadelphia at Detroit TBA *Game 7: Toronto at Orlando TBA Sunday, May 4 *Game 7: Denver at LA Lakers TBA *Game 7: Utah at Houston TBA *Game 7: Atlanta at Boston TBA *Game 7: Washington at Cleveland TBA ---- Patricia Bender pbender@eskimo.com For NBA stuff: http://www.eskimo.com/~pbender/index.html For Mavs stuff: http://www.eskimo.com/~pbender/mavs.html