News from April 17. The NBA named Dirk Nowitzki (Dal) and LeBron James (Cle) as Players of the Month for April. Nowitzki averaged 30.3 points and 8.8 rebounds as Dallas went 6-2. James averaged 29.9 points, 6 rebounds, and 6.6 assists as Cleveland went 5-3. The NBA named Nate McMillan (Por) and Doc Rivers (Bos) as Coaches of the Month for April. Portland went 7-1 and Boston went 6-1. The NBA named O.J. Mayo (Mem) and Michael Beasley (Mia) as Rookies of the Month for April. Mayo averaged 20.3 points as Memphis went 5-4. Beasley averaged 20.6 points and 8.6 rebounds as Miami went 4-4. Danny Ainge (Bos GM) suffered a mild heart attack on Thursday and is recovering well. Kevin Garnett (Bos) is expected to be out for the start of the playoffs (and may miss all of the playoffs) with his strained right knee. Utah recalled Kosta Koufos from the NBADL. Donald Sloan (guard, Texas A&M, junior), Patrick Mills (guard, St. Mary's), Michael Washington (forward, Arkansas, junior), Luke Harrangody (forward, Notre Dame, junior), and Derrick Brown (forward, Xavier, junior) declared themselves eligible for the NBA draft. The NBA held the tiebreakers (random drawing) for the 11 teams that finished with the same record to determine the draft order and lottery chances. Washington won the tiebreaker with the LA Clippers (19-63, 2nd worst record) and, thus, Washington will have 178 lottery changes and the LA Clippers will have 177 lottery changes - if neither wins the lottery (#1, #2, #3 draft picks determined by the lottery), Washington will draft before the LA Clippers. Minnesota won the tiebreaker with Memphis (24-58) and, thus, Minnesota will have 76 lottery changes and Memphis will have 75 lottery changes - if neither wins the lottery, Minnesota will draft before the Memphis. Milwaukee won the tiebreaker with New Jersey (34-48) and, thus, Milwaukee will have 10 lottery changes and New Jersey will have 9 lottery changes - if neither wins the lottery, Milwaukee will draft before the New Jersey. Chicago won the tiebreaker with Philadelphia (41-41) and, thus, Chicago will draft #16 and Philadelphia will draft #17. In a 3-team tiebreaker (54-28), Portland won the tiebreaker and then San Antonio won the 2nd tiebreaker with Denver and, thus, Portland will draft #24, Oklahoma City (which owns San Antonio's pick) will draft #25, and Chicago (which owns Denver's pick) will draft #26. [For those with the same record, the 2nd round draft order is the reverse from the 1st round order.] The lottery drawing will take placed May 19 and the NBA Draft is June 25. 2009 Draft Lottery Chances and Order Lottery Chances Team Chances (out of 1,000) Sacramento 250 Washington 178 LA Clippers 177 Oklahoma City 119 Minnesota 76 Memphis 75 Golden State 43 New York 28 Toronto 17 Milwaukee 10 New Jersey 9 Charlotte 7 Indiana 6 Phoenix 5 First Round Order 15. Detroit 16. Chicago 17. Philadelphia 18. Minnesota (from Miami) 19. Atlanta 20. Utah 21. New Orleans 22. Dallas 23. Sacramento (from Houston) 24. Portland 25. Oklahoma City (from San Antonio) 26. Chicago (from Denver via Oklahoma City) 27. Memphis (from Orlando) 28. Minnesota (from Boston) 29. LA Lakers 30. Cleveland Second Round Order 31. Sacramento 32/33. Portland (from LA Clippers) 32/33. Washington 34. Denver (from Oklahoma City) 35/36. Memphis 35/36. Detroit (from Minnesota) 37. San Antonio (from Golden State via Phoenix) 38. Portland (from New York via Chicago) 39. Detroit (from Toronto) 40/41. Charlotte (from New Jersey via Oklahoma City) 40/41. Milwaukee 42. LA Lakers (from Charlotte ) 43. Miami (from Indiana) 44. Detroit 45. Minnesota (from Philadelphia via Miami) 46. Cleveland (from Chicago) 47. Minnesota (from Miami) 48. Phoenix 49. Atlanta 50. Utah 51. San Antonio (from New Orleans via Toronto) 52. Indiana (from Dallas) 53. San Antonio (from Houston) 54. Charlotte (from Charlotte) 55. Portland (from Denver) 56. Portland 57. Phoenix (from Orlando Oklahoma City) 58. Boston 59. LA Lakers 60. Miami (from Cleveland) The 2009 NBA Playoffs start today! 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 Utah (0) |_ __ _ | 4 Portland (0) _____| |_ __ 5 Houston (0) _ | | | 2 Denver (0) __ | | 7 New Orleans (0) |_ __| | _ | 3 San Antonio (0) __| | 6 Dallas (0) |_ _ | 1 Cleveland (0) ____ | 8 Detroit (0) |_ __ | _ | | 4 Atlanta (0) ______| | | 5 Miami (0) |_ __| _ 2 Boston (0) _______ | 7 Chicago (0) |_ __| _ 3 Orlando (0) _| 6 Philadelphia (0) First Round Schedule (Central times) *if necessary Saturday, April 18 Game 1: Chicago at Boston 11:30 am ESPN Game 1: Detroit at Cleveland 2:00 pm ABC Game 1: Dallas at San Antonio 7:00 pm ESPN Game 1: Houston at Portland 9:30 pm ESPN Sunday, April 19 Game 1: Utah at LA Lakers 2:00 pm ABC Game 1: Philadelphia at Orlando 4:30 pm TNT Game 1: Miami at Atlanta 7:00 pm TNT Game 1: New Orleans at Denver 9:30 pm TNT Monday, April 20 Game 2: Chicago at Boston 6:00 pm TNT Game 2: Dallas at San Antonio 8:30 pm TNT Tuesday, April 21 Game 2: Detroit at Cleveland 7:00 pm TNT Game 2: Houston at Portland 9:00 pm NBATV Game 2: Utah at LA Lakers 9:30 pm TNT Wednesday, April 22 Game 2: Philadelphia at Orlando 6:00 pm NBATV Game 2: Miami at Atlanta 7:00 pm TNT Game 2: New Orleans at Denver 9:30 pm TNT Thursday, April 23 Game 3: Boston at Chicago 7:00 pm TNT Game 3: San Antonio at Dallas 7:30 pm NBATV Game 3: LA Lakers at Utah 9:30 pm TNT Friday, April 24 Game 3: Cleveland at Detroit 6:00 pm ESPN Game 3: Orlando at Philadelphia 7:00 pm ESPN2 Game 3: Portland at Houston 8:30 pm ESPN Saturday, April 25 Game 3: Denver at New Orleans 12:00 pm ESPN Game 4: San Antonio at Dallas 3:00 pm TNT Game 3: Atlanta at Miami 5:30 pm TNT Game 4: LA Lakers at Utah 8:00 pm ESPN Sunday, April 26 Game 4: Boston at Chicago 12:00 pm ABC Game 4: Cleveland at Detroit 2:30 pm ABC Game 4: Orlando at Philadelphia 5:30 pm TNT Game 4: Portland at Houston 8:00 pm TNT Monday, April 27 Game 4: Atlanta at Miami TBA Game 4: Denver at New Orleans TBA *Game 5: Utah at LA Lakers TBA Tuesday, April 28 *Game 5: Dallas at San Antonio TBA *Game 5: Houston at Portland TBA *Game 5: Chicago at Boston TBA *Game 5: Philadelphia at Orlando TBA Wednesday, April 29 *Game 5: New Orleans at Denver TBA *Game 5: Detroit at Cleveland TBA *Game 5: Miami at Atlanta TBA Thursday, April 30 *Game 6: LA Lakers at Utah TBA *Game 6: Portland at Houston TBA *Game 6: Boston at Chicago TBA *Game 6: Orlando at Philadelphia TBA Friday, May 1 *Game 6: San Antonio at Dallas TBA *Game 6: Denver at New Orleans TBA *Game 6: Cleveland at Detroit TBA *Game 6: Atlanta at Miami TBA Saturday, May 2 *Game 7: Utah at LA Lakers TBA *Game 7: Houston at Portland TBA *Game 7: Chicago at Boston TBA *Game 7: Philadelphia at Orlando TBA Sunday, May 3 *Game 7: Dallas at San Antonio TBA *Game 7: New Orleans at Denver TBA *Game 7: Detroit at Cleveland TBA *Game 7: Miami at Atlanta 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