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Alonzo Mourning:
Played the most impressive game of his career (14 pts,
13 reb, 4 blk), subbing in for an injured Shaq. Also
showed why Shaq isn't the NBA MVP.
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The Lead Item
Two Words For You:
FLASH. CARD.
Can you believe it's been only a week
since the ridiculous "Nash vs. Shaq" debate over who
is the NBA's MVP?
Because three games (and the brink of a sweep) later,
the Heat's MVP is so obviously Dwyane Wade, making
moot the argument that Shaq got robbed.
Shaq DNP, Wade MVP: If the argument against
Nash was that "any top point guard could have come in
and won in Phoenix" ...
... Then what does it say that a tired old
kidney-transplanted backup center could step in for
Shaq and the Heat didn't skip a beat?
While Mourning had the game of his life, Wade
continued to get his (31 pts, 14/27 FG, 9 reb, 6 ast)
on "All-D" Hughes. He's unstoppable.
Miami, the only team left in the playoffs with a shot
at a four-game sweep, is also the team with the
no-debate front-runner for playoffs MVP.
And it ain't Shaq.
No Sweeps Week
The most welcome development of the
past week was that series that looked like
sweeps-in-the-making suddenly got interesting.
Sonics 92, Spurs 91: Even though Seattle choked
from 3 (2/16). How'd they pull it out? Spurs 19/34 FT.
Track that stat ...
Tonight: How will the Suns play in the first
game in Dallas, tied 1-1, without ironman SG Joe
Johnson to round out their sick starting 5?
Meanwhile: If you thought Detroit was raucous,
listen in for the fan reaction in Indianapolis, where
the Pacers go into tonight tied 1-1.
ChiSox beat O's
Battle of the AL's top two teams!
(OK, who had THAT in the preseason office pool? You
with your hand up, stop lying.)
Garland is the real deal: The AL's first seven-game
winner handcuffed the O's (2 R, 8 IP) and has won all
seven starts.
Friday: Buehrle vs. Lopez
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CHECK OUT THE QUICKIE EVERY WEEKDAY MORNING! |
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| WHO'S GOT THE MOMENTUM ... |
Jerry Sloan: Will return for 18th season as coach of Jazz
Felix Trinidad vs. Winky Wright: Rare must-follow boxing
Malcolm Glazer: Taking over Manchester United. USA! USA! |
| ... AND WHO'S GOT NO MO' |
11 MLB minor leaguers: Suspended for violating roid policy
Scott Rolen: Will be out up to six weeks (watch that Over)
Joe Johnson: Suns SG to miss both games in Big D, at least |
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NBA Age Limit Watch
Some sanity from the union! NBA Players
Union honcho Billy Hunter comes out against an age limit,
saying most players were against one.
(You have to imagine the league's biggest stars are
against it, given that most of them were beneficiaries
of the current rules.)
But Hunter hedged, saying he'd be willing to change
his position if the NBA gave in on something else (but
don't expect that to happen).
Aside from Jermaine O'Neal, why aren't the other star
prep-to-pros speaking out on this? The union must have
told them to stay quiet.
Congress 'Roid Watch
One standard? That's what Congress
wants to explore next week when they bring together an
All-Star cast of league leaders for more
hearings.
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Roll call: Tagliabue! Selig! Stern!
Bettman. All have been awfully
proactive about making Congress happy.
So it'll be fascinating to see how they try to
positively spin their reactions, which will range from
annoyance to disapproval.
If only these folks in Congress showed as much passion
about campaign finance reform, seeing how soft money
is politics' equivalent of steroids.
T.O. vs. Eagles
"Everyone should just chill out," Owens
agent Drew Rosenhaus said on SportsCenter. This coming
from the Svengali-type whose fingerprints are all over
T.O.'s current drama.
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P-Jax to Knicks:
Rodney Peete said his buddy Isiah "said he didn't
think it was going to happen." (via NWK Star-Ledger)
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Today on ESPN.com
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| Quickie live! |
| P2: Shaq vs. Kobe decathlon |
| NBA Daily Dime |
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| Playoff MVP Ballot (through 5/12) |  Dwyane Wade
| He makes it look easy
|  Amare Stoudemire
| Is Amare the new Shaq?
|  Ray Allen
| Despite 6/23 FG in G3
|  Steve Nash
| Too many G2 shots (22)
|  Tony Parker
| | More valuable than TD |
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Javon Walker on Brett Favre: "I'll never hold a
grudge ... I don't see myself playing with any other
quarterback." (via WTMJ TV)
Joining Larry Hughes on the NBA All-Defense team
(a.k.a. "The Usual Suspects"): Big Ben, KG, Duncan,
Bowen
Next on "Law-lapalooza" tour: Miami, which met with the
ex-Pats CB (Miami Herald). The Lions have already met
with him.
Where's Doug Brien? The ex-Jets kicker, displaced by
the team's draft strategy, has landed with the Bears.
(Sorry, Paul Edinger.)
MLB saves leader Brandon Lyon of the D-Backs gets a stamp of approval
from Rob Neyer. See Insider for Rob's full
take.
Memphis starting a Heisman campaign for RB DeAngelo
Williams means as much in mid-May as me
tabbing him the front-runner in mid-May.
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