Points in the Paint

» May 18, 2009 6:53 PM | By Brandon Hoffman

Randy Hill of FOXSports.com: “To defend a Cleveland offensive attack that is more efficient than overpowering, we recommend putting less pressure in the passing lanes and keeping defenders in gap-and-help position against James. Playing denial on the wings requires help defenders to cover more ground to pinch on LeBron’s drives and then recover to close out against his shooters. And when LBJ does penetrate Orlando’s defense, Dwight Howard — the world’s foremost shot-blocker — will be waiting as a deterrent. It should be noted that even though James averaged more than 30 points in three games with the Magic, his shooting percentage was a pedestrian 43 percent.”

Brian Windhorst on LeBron James’ free agency options this summer: “The Cavs can offer LeBron a contract extension on July 18, the three-year anniversary of when he signed his last deal. I expect them to do so and LeBron told me back in December that he’d consider it. But unlike the Heat, who have made their expected extension talks with Wade public, I expect the Cavs to keep the proceedings private. Ultimately to increase his flexibility, I don’t think James will re-sign this summer no matter what the Cavs do this season. If LeBron does decide to play the current contract out, turning down the extension will be received as big news in some corners and many will interpret it as a sign he wants to leave, even if that is not the case. So the Cavs won’t be looking to make a big deal about it. While we are on the topic, there is also another option LeBron has that many seem to forget. He can pick up an option in his contract for the 2010-11 season at any time and push the decision back another year.”

Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times: “Gasol knows he’ll have his hands full with Martin. When the Nuggets beat the Mavericks, Martin was all over Dallas’ All-Star forward Dirk Nowitzki. In Game 1, as Nowitzki drove baseline midway through the first quarter, Martin bumped the forward hard, knocking him down to the court. Martin was called for a technical foul on the play. It was Martin’s way of trying to intimidate Nowitzki. A day after the incident, the NBA upgraded Martin’s foul to a flagrant 1 and fined him $25,000. Gasol was asked about Martin’s tactics and whether he thought Martin would try the same against him. ‘And Dirk averaged 30-something points,’ Gasol said, smiling.”

Ira Winderman alludes to Pat Riley’s discontent with Michael Beasley: “Even now, we’re still not totally sure how Riley truly feels about Beasley. And that’s fine. What isn’t is this: There still is a sense that permeates the franchise that Beasley was never anything more than a compromise choice by Riley, one never truly embraced by the Heat president, but rather forced down the franchise’s throat by the reality of a two-player elite grouping at the top of the draft.”

The AP: “Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers are scheduled to be at the Pepsi Center in Denver next Monday night. Problem is, so are John Cena and a bunch of wrestlers. World Wrestling Entertainment says it is booked at the arena for an episode of Monday Night Raw, the same night the Nuggets are slated to host the Lakers in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals.WWE spokesman Robert Zimmerman says the organization secured the Pepsi Center last Aug. 15 and has already sold more than 10,000 tickets for the event. He says the organization expects a sellout, with tickets ranging from $20 to $70. ‘Even though the Denver Nuggets had a strong team this year and were projected to make the playoffs, obviously Nuggets and Pepsi Center owner Stan Kroenke did not have enough faith in his own team to hold the May 25th date for a potential playoff game,’ WWE chairman Vince McMahon said in a statement.”

Boston Celtics Assistant Coach, and renowned defensive mastermind Tom Thibodeau has been given permission to interview for the Philadelphia 76ers’ head coaching job.

Ric Bucher of ESPN The Magazine: “With a huge black-and-white painting of Bob Marley peering over one shoulder and a half-dozen framed NBA jerseys visible over the other, Brian Grant took a deep breath, ignored his left hand shaking as if it were trying to put out a match, and let go of the secret that had tormented him for the last four months. ‘I have young onset Parkinson’s,’ he said. That’s Parkinson’s, as in the disease that disrupts the brain’s coordination and control of muscle movement and motor skills. A progressive disease for which the cause and the cure are unknown. A disease so rare for someone like Grant, 37, to contract that his case is identified as ‘young onset.’”

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