We're mere days into the 2012 NBA Playoffs, and we've already had dudes punching glass, bumping refs and blowing up knees. Can't wait to see what happens next! Links:
- BNIE wants to know, 'r u in?'
- In case you didn't see yesterday, ESPN's Chad Ford guessed in his latest mock draft that the Wizards would only consider Michael Kidd-Gilchrist or Bradley Beal if they got the No. 2 pick in the draft, but Mike doesn't think it would be wise for the Wiz to eliminate Thomas Robinson from consideration.
- Have you weighed in one the second #QUOTESANITY matchup? As of 9 a.m., with 312 votes countes, "1 Percent Full" has a commanding lead with 66 percent of the vote to 33 percent for "KILLMODE SQUARED!!!" In our first matchup, "Can't Say I Do" is dominating "Big Kahunas" 74 percent to 25 percent with 272 ballots cast.
- Gilbert Arenas is still amazing. Here he discusses what separates the good from the great. [ESPN TrueHoop]
- CSN Washington has started a "Wizards Year in Review" series, taking a look at each player on the roster, beginning with John Wall.
- Here's video of Wall's final interview with the media this season. [NBA.com]
- How optimistic are you about the Wizards next season? Ask the guys over at TAI, and the answers range from "not much" to "sort of."
- The folks over at Wiz of Awes have revisited the decision to extend Wizards GM Ernie Grunfeld.
- All things considered, Randy Wittman did a pretty good job over 49 games as the Wizards interim head coach. But is he in the team's long-term plans? [Washington Examiner]
- For what it's worth, Wittman would like to stick around. [CSN Washington]
- It isn't often that a second-year point guard finds himself mentoring rookies, but that was the case this season with Wall, who not only helped Shelvin Mack navigate his rookie season with the Wizards, but also offered guidance to Bobcats rookie Kemba Walker. [Washington Times]
- A familiar face has joined the Celtics for the playoffs as a consultant. [CSN Washington]
- Wall was recently spotted wearing a New York Red Bulls jersey, so D.C. United striker Chris Pontius made it easy for Wall to support the home soccer team from now on.
- Knicks forward Amare Stoudemire's season could be over after he punched the glass encasing a fire extinguisher, hopefully in frustration after his team lost 104-94 to the Heat, which took a 2-0 series lead, and not because he has has it out for fire extinguishers, which would be odd. Either way, what Stoudemire did was pretty dumb, and in case you weren't sure, Twitter let us all know. The fire extinguisher even had a message for Amare. [SB Nation]
- Stoudemire's unprompted assault came at a pretty bad time. [ESPN New York]
- Stoudemire may have been dumb, but this is way worse. Lakers center Jordan Hill has been charged with allegedly choking his girlfriend while he was with the Rockets earlier this season. [Ball Don't Lie]
- As Mike observed yesterday, Nick Young and JaVale McGee have had disparate experiences one game into the 2012 NBA Playoffs. [Washington Post]
- In case you wanted to read even more about Young's heroics in game one of Clippers-Grizzlies, here you go. [LA Times]
- Rajon Rondo won't play tonight against the Hawks after receiving a one-game suspension for bumping a referee while arguing a non-call in Game 1. [ESPN Boston]
- Thunder-Mavs has easily been the best series so far, even with Oklahoma City took a 2-0 series lead yesterday. Both contests have been squeakers, and a real, natural rivalry is forming. [ESPN Dallas]
- It may not have near the star power of Knicks-Heat or Mavs-Thunder, but Magic-Pacers is the first series to go 1-1 after Indiana pulled even yesterday with a convincing 93-78 victory. [ESPN TrueHoop]
- Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau may not be to blame for Derrick Rose's ACL tear, but he's still a veritable mad man. [NY Times]
- Reggie Miller doesn't like that LeBron James is trying to become an even better player by working on post moves with post-move master Hakeem Olajuwon, stating that Michael Jordan never sought help from anyone when he was trying to get by the Bad Boy Pistons. Accept he totally did. Miller could stand to learn a thing or two from Sensei Prada. [SB Nation]
- Ok, so Mike Bibby's shoe came off at some point during yesterday's Knicks-Heat game, and Dwyane Wade nonchalantly tossed it to the sideline. Kind of a jerk move, but also pretty darn funny. The best part is Bibby's subsequent body language, which to me reads as, "Yeah, you would do that, wouldn't you?" [SB Nation]
- Oh Chris Paul, you're a riot. [Ball Don't Lie]
- Remember (7-foot-tall) kids, if you ever meet someone that does not automatically assume you're a future NBA star, don't get discouraged. Just remember that this guy has been in the league for more than a decade now. [HoopSpeak]
- Mike does not hold T-Wolves GM David Kahn in the highest esteem, and you shouldn't either. [SB Nation]