Hello and welcome to the Evening News.
As the playoffs continue, we’ll keep you updated every evening. What’s happening today?
Here’s the latest news from around the league:
The Evening News: Coach K back to team USA; Mavs preparing for run at Dwight; GMs love Oladipo
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SH Blog: Raptors pursue Ujiri; Coach K to coach USA again?
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Well, the Knicks are done. Kind of anti-climactically, as well, at least compared to previous playoff series against Indiana (see right). Now it’s up to the Pacers, who are kind of like the anti-Heat, to stop the Miami freight train that seems destined to roll right on through to the finals.
For all the gory details on just what went wrong in the Knicks’ elimination, I’ll point you over to Chris Sheridan’s latest column and podcast.
In the West, we’ve got the Grizzlies and the Spurs starting today, in a series that should push the Spurs in an entirely different manner from the way the Warriors pushed them. If the Grizzlies get their way, Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol will suffocate Tim Duncan in the low post and Tony Allen will shut down Tony Parker and/or Manu Ginobili. But the Spurs don’t make a habit of letting their opponents get their way. In fact, as Jan Hubbard writes in his latest column, the Spurs are all about doing it their way, and not anybody else’s.
Today’s blog actually doesn’t focus much on the playoffs, though. There’s lots of draft stuff in here, since the combine just happened. Check out all the links below, of course, but also be sure to read Jeremy Bauman’s roundup of the biggest news from the combine.
- Mike Krzyzewski is considering a return as Team USA’s head coach. Pete Thamel of Sports Illustrated reports: “Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski acknowledged in a phone interview Saturday that he’s in discussions to return as head coach of USA Basketball through the 2016 Olympics. “There’s a chance,” Krzyzewski said. “That’s correct.” Krzyzewski said he hasn’t made a final decision, but his openness to the position represents a significant change. For eight months, Krzyzewski has maintained he’s not returning as USA Basketball’s head coach. On Saturday, Krzyzewski said he and USA Basketball Chairman Jerry Colangelo have been talking about his return “quite a bit.” Colangelo said Saturday he and Krzyzewski have been discussing his return “in installments.” “I think it’s very close to being resolved,” Colangelo said. “That’s all I can say for sure.” He added: “Give it another week and it should be resolved.”
Duke Blue Devils: Five Facts for the NCAA Tourney
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Despite missing out on their conference tournament championship, the Duke Blue Devils are back in the NCAA Tournament. This marks the 18th consecutive season in which coach Mike Krzyzewski’s crew has made the big dance.
So what do you need to know about this year’s Dukies? Here are five facts.
1. Of their 27 wins, four have come against teams that were ranked in the Top 5 at the time they played. That includes Louisville, Ohio State, Miami (FL) and Kentucky. They’ve also taken down the currently ranked Virginia Commonwealth Rams.
2. Duke swept their season series against North Carolina for the first time since 2010. That was the same year that the Blue Devils won the National Championship. The last time Duke swept UNC before 2010 was 2004—the year they went to the Final Four. Could we see this trend continue in 2013?
3. All four of Duke’s NCAA Tournament championships have come under coach Mike Krzyzewski. Those came in 1991, ’92, 2001 and ’10. Coincidentally, they were a No. 1 seed in three of those four years—something they could be in 2013.
4. Duke ranks fourth in the nation in terms of three-point field goal percentage at 41.6. They’re seventh in points per game and 11th in points per shot. Oddly enough, they’re in the middle of the pack at 72.7 percent from the free throw line.
5. Duke was 6-0 during neutral ground games this season. In that time, they secured victories over Louisville, Virginia Commonwealth, Kentucky, Davidson and Minnesota—all teams that have either clinched a bid or are expected to make the NCAA Tournament.
Sign up for the SheridanHoops/Sportsbook Bracket Challenge. $100,000 first prize.
Hubbard: Colangelo and Popovich Need to Make It Work
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If you wanted to compare the possibilities of who might be the next U.S. Olympic basketball coach to the weather, the following would make perfect sense:
A heat wave will soon hit Antarctica, a driving rainstorm will be pelting the Sahara and Jerry Colangelo will no doubt hire Gregg Popovich.
Tweet of the Day: Kyrie Irving
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Blue Devil Nation had something to fee happy about today when Jabari Parker of Chicago’s Simeon H.S., widely considered the No. 1 recruit in the nation, committed to Duke for next season.
