Before he was named head coach of the Cavaliers in 2005, Mike Brown twice had the honor of coaching Stephen Jackson: once as an assistant with the Pacers, and before that, as an assistant with the Spurs.
Jackson's time in Indiana wasn't exactly that of a model citizen, but he was fine in San Antonio, and even got himself a ring as a contributor to the Spurs' championship in 2003.
Maybe Brown, based on this past experience, sees something in Jackson that at this point, most of the rest of us do not. That has to be the reason that Cleveland is interested in trading for Jackson, and freeing him from the unpleasant situation that he's created for himself in Golden State.
The Cleveland Cavaliers worked all season to develop a home-court dominance that they expected to carry them all the way to the NBA Finals. But after having that homecourt aura abruptly stripped away in Game 1 by Orlando, it puts them into a high-pressure, must-win, situation tonight in Game 2. Another loss would be crushing, like digging their own playoff grave.
Through the first two rounds of the playoffs, the Cavs never played from behind, which can cause panic to even the most seasoned veteran. Conversely, desperation can be a wonderful motivational tool. After the jump are five questions for Game 2 of the East finals.
For all of the Cavaliers' success this year -- both posting the league's best record and winning their first eight games of the playoffs -- the Magic have actually held their own in head-to-head matchups, winning two of three games in the regular season and seven of 10 the last three years.
Much like your 401k, though, past results do not guarantee future performance, but at least the Magic won't come into this series questioning whether they have what it takes to win a single game against the vaunted Cavs, which was exactly the situation the dysfunctional Pistons and the injury-depleted Hawks faced in the first and second rounds, respectively.
ATLANTA -- Some comparisons will last forever: Ginger or Mary Ann, Coke or Pepsi, Hertz or Avis, Rowan or Martin, Wrigley or Fenway.
LeBron or Michael.
How about LeBron AND Michael? And, no, this doesn't refer to the esteemed Mr. James and Mr. Jordan as players, especially since they reached that solar system beyond the basketball elite in different ways.
Maybe they should rename the building, "The Palace King James Tore Down."
The Cavaliers took no time in putting their foot to the throat of the Detroit Pistons, closing them out in the third quarter with 16-6 run. The Pistons, a powerhouse over the last seven years, will not reach the conference finals for the first time in seven years. The cause of their downfall? The only man with less fear of the Palace than Ron Artest.
LeBron James had 36 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists to again create the majority of the punch for the Cavs, who will now have up to a week of off time before facing the winner of the Atlanta-Miami showdown.
With the way the Cavaliers are playing, those teams might want to put off facing the Cavs as long as possible.
Five Things takes a look at five things to watch out for in marquee games with playoff implications. Tuesday's Magic-Cavs showdown (7 PM ET) is one such romp.
Orlando's playoffs start tonight. Sure, the Magic have locked up a playoff appearance and are virtual locks for the third seed in the East. But the Magic's season at some point turned from just a rush to compete in the semifinals to "Hey, we can win this freaking thing." In order to do that, they need to get a top two seed, and the top seed would certainly help the most.
The Rotation is a weekly study on the NBA by one of our All-Star voices. In rotation this week is Brett Pollakoff.
With just six weeks left in the grind that is the NBA's regular season, it's time to start having the MVP conversation. LeBron James and Kobe Bryant will likely be the first two names mentioned when this hotly debated topic is brought up, but they shouldn't be -- not this season. If you've been paying attention, Dwyane Wade is the league's most valuable player, and it's really not even that close.
LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, round two. The first meeting in L.A. went to the Lakers, but neither player was exactly dominant. Things should be a little different inside this time, as the Lakers are without Andrew Bynum, while Cleveland has Zydrunas Ilgauskas back from injury. After Kobe and LeBron both put on shows to remember in New York last week, what do they have in store for us today? Join me at 3:30 PM ET and we'll find out together.
Each week, Under The Microscope looks at a different NBA player and where they are in the season, as well as how they're perceived on and off the court. On Thursday, the Magic hosts the Cavaliers, and we'll be keeping an eye on Dwight Howard, who is widely considered to be the best center in the league (or at least the best center that hasn't collapsed a dude's lung). Join us after the jump to see where Howard is and where he might be headed.
A to Z.
Before he was named head coach of the Cavaliers in 2005, Mike Brown twice had the honor of coaching Stephen Jackson: once as an assistant with the Pacers, and before that, as an assistant with the Spurs. 
The Cleveland Cavaliers worked all season to develop a home-court dominance that they expected to carry them all the way to the NBA Finals. But after having that homecourt aura abruptly stripped away in Game 1 by Orlando, it puts them into a high-pressure, must-win, situation tonight in Game 2. Another loss would be crushing, like digging their own playoff grave.
FanHouse previews every round of the NBA Playoffs. 
ATLANTA -- Some comparisons will last forever: Ginger or Mary Ann, Coke or Pepsi, Hertz or Avis, Rowan or Martin, Wrigley or Fenway.
Maybe they should rename the building, "The Palace King James Tore Down." 
Each week, Under The Microscope looks at a different NBA player and where they are in the season, as well as how they're perceived on and off the court. On Thursday, the Magic hosts the Cavaliers, and we'll be keeping an eye on Dwight Howard, who is widely considered to be the best center in the league (or at least the best center that hasn't collapsed a dude's lung). Join us after the jump to see where Howard is and where he might be headed.
