FanHouse Pat Riley

MINNEAPOLIS -- Al Jefferson wasn't even born when the incident happened in 1984. But he's seen the old footage.

"The only thing I knew about Kurt (Rambis) from him playing is the highlight of Kevin McHale knocking him out,'' said the Minnesota forward.

Jonny Flynn wasn't born when Rambis won the last his four titles with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1988. But Flynn has seen the highlights as well.

"I remember he had the high socks, the thick glasses and the short shorts,'' said the Timberwolves point guard. "That was my first impressions about him. I said that when we first talked on the phone, and we got a good laugh about it.''

Seemingly every NBA franchise is cinching its garter these days. The Bobcats skipped Summer League. The Grizzlies have discarded their dedicated amateur scouting corps. The Kings left a benchwarmer (Kenny Thomas) at home on road trips last season to save on accommodations, and the team's owners downgraded themselves to coach. The Nets sold an ad on practice jerseys and tried to juice ticket sales by giving away LeBron jerseys. (Note: LeBron does not play for the Nets.)

We said it month ago, but it's worth saying again. Allen Iverson belongs in Miami.

Yes, he has flirted with the Clippers, Knicks, Grizzlies and even the Bobcats and Larry Brown. He has a big money offer waiting in Greece. Yet there isn't a team that needs him more -- and could help his reputation more -- than the Miami Heat.

It's why Pat Riley, according a recent report in the Miami Herald, has left the door open for him to walk through. It's a perfect match, and both sides know it. They're just doing the mating dance now, both sides waiting to see if the money is right.

Of all the big-name stars eligible for free agency next summer, I've always considered Dwyane Wade the most likely to stay exactly where he is.

Unlike LeBron James in Cleveland, Chris Bosh in Toronto and Carlos Boozer in Salt Lake City, Wade already resides in one of the most popular destinations among visiting NBA players. And when push comes to shove and offers start pouring in, the Miami Heat will be able to offer the longest contract for the most money (especially when you consider Florida doesn't charge a state income tax).

But even if all signs point to the Heat holding onto their superstar, Wade is keeping his options open -- and putting pressure on Miami's front office to improve his supporting cast.

Red Auerbach's record of nine NBA championships as a head coach -- a mark the Celtics legend has shared with Lakers boss Phil Jackson since 2002 -- finally fell Sunday night. I'm sure when Auerbach stepped aside to let Bill Russell take his title many thought Red's record would never be caught. That it took three threepeats and then some to get Jackson over the hump tells you how much fate plays a role here.

Will we ever see another coach surpass Jackson's new record (assuming Jackson doesn't add on in the coming years)? It seems really unlikely, given modern circumstances.

ORLANDO -- The Eastern Conference final against the Cleveland Cavaliers hasn't even started yet, but Magic coach Stan Van Gundy already conceded one aspect of the series to Cavs Coach Mike Brown.

Van Gundy can't dress as well.

Van Gundy is one of the few no-tie coaches in the league, always trying to mix and match his collection of button down shirts and open collar looks. And he still finishes each game looking like he stepped out of a washing machine.

"I could go out and buy a $10,000 suit, and lot of other guys would buy a $200 suit, and they'd still look better than I do,'' Van Gundy said after Tuesday's practice. That's just the way it is when you look like me.''

TEQUESTA, Fla. -- This looked like a Bad Boys reunion.

The NBA came from around the country Wednesday to celebrate the life and mourn the death of Chuck Daly, but nothing was more impressive than his collection of pallbearers.

It was the nucleus of his two championship teams in Detroit, the ones that transformed him from just another coaching lifer into a Hall of Famer and Olympic Gold Medalist revered by all.

Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, Vinnie Johnson, Rick Mahorn and Bill Laimbeer were at his side. The Bad Boy Pistons and their leader one final time.

"I think when you go through the things we did together, there is a bond that never breaks,'' said Laimbeer. "This was a sad time, but a time to celebrate who he was, and what he did, and how loved he was.''

The Miami Heat made it official on Wednesday. They're the worst team remaining in the NBA playoffs. That's just one conclusion you can draw after Atlanta won Game 5 over Miami 106-91 to go up 3-2 in the series.

How can the Heat be anything other than the worst team remaining when they came into the playoffs as an underdog and, now, Dwyane Wade is not 100 percent? Hey, it's just another way of saying that coach Erik Spoelstra is doing a great coaching job.

Miami was down 23 points at halftime, and the only reason to watch the remaining 24 was to find out who was going to commit the next hard foul and who was going to be on the receiving end of it.

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Go ahead, call me a sap -- I've been called much worse. For some reason, jersey retirement ceremonies get me every time, and Alonzo Mourning's was no exception. Sure, Pat Riley's comments were cliche, and the Creed song was a poor choice. But Mourning becoming the first actual member of the team to have his jersey raised to the rafters (Michael Jordan and Dan Marino had their numbers retired for some reason as well) was awesome, and of course, well-deserved.

If you thought that the first wave of comments lobbed by Shaquille O'Neal at his former coach were stiff, wait until you hear the extended remix.

The Arizona Republic has the entirety of Shaq's verbal beat down of Stan Van Gundy, but he's not the only one O'Neal goes after. Patrick Ewing and Dwight Howard caught some shrapnel as well.

The most interesting part of this latest feud that Shaq is pursuing isn't his extended attack, though. It's the fact that he basically starts World War III in response to some fairly innocuous comments that came from Van Gundy during the Suns' game in Orlando.