Chris Paul will recruit players to join him with the Clippers.
“I’ll be the first one to tell any player that this is where you want to be,” Paul said. “The team has all the small things, the great training staff, the great practice facility and a guy like Blake Griffin to play with. So, why not?”
Neil Olshey believes the Clippers have become an attractive destination for free agents.
“I know the culture has changed because we went from a ‘have to’ organization — ‘I have to go to the Clippers,’ ‘I got traded to the Clippers,’ ‘I got drafted by the Clippers’ — to a ‘want to.’ Guys want to be here now,” said Olshey, Clippers vice president of basketball operations. “They want to play here.”
Chris Bosh has been ruled for Game 6 at Indiana, but he remains hopeful he will be able to return if the Heat advance.
Bosh suffered an abdominal strain in Game 1 against the Pacers.
"I'm just hoping that everyone can keep doing what they're doing and extend the season," Bosh said on Wednesday. "I do have a chance to play again. That's the light at the end of the tunnel for me. That keeps me going every day."
Bosh says he is making significant process, but he hasn't resumed basketball activities. Bosh is working to strengthen his core and remain in shape by riding a stationary bike.
"You take it for granted how those little muscles in there play such a huge role in every single thing -- sitting down, getting up, turning, walking, talking, anything," Bosh said. "But it's gotten a lot better."
Miami is one win away from advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals.
"I've come a far way in a week," Bosh said. "I was kind of nervous initially but it wasn't the worst news I could have gotten. I just have to keep believing and stay mentally strong. I think I'm healing at a very fast rate right now."
LeBron James headlines the NBA All-Defensive First Team, receiving 53 points.
Joining him on the First Team are Serge Ibaka, Dwight Howard, Chris Paul and Tony Allen.
On the Second Team is Defensive Player of the Year Tyson Chandler, Kevin Garnett, Luol Deng, Rajon Rondo and Kobe Bryant.
Other players receiving votes, with point totals (First Team votes in parentheses): Andre Iguodala, Philadelphia, 19 (4); Joakim Noah, Chicago, 14; Iman Shumpert, New York, 13 (4); Paul George, Indiana, 10 (2); Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City, 9 (2); Josh Smith, Atlanta, 8 (2); Dwyane Wade, Miami, 5 (1); Thabo Sefolosha, Oklahoma City, 5 (1); Grant Hill, Phoenix, 5 (1); Tim Duncan, San Antonio, 5 (1); Avery Bradley, Boston, 3 (1); Marc Gasol, Memphis, 3 (1); Metta World Peace, L.A. Lakers, 3; Shawn Marion, Dallas, 3; Joe Johnson, Atlanta, 2, (1); Mike Conley, Memphis, 2; Derrick Rose, Chicago, 1; Jrue Holiday, Philadelphia, 1; Carlos Boozer, Chicago, 1; Luc Mbah a Moute, Milwaukee, 1.
Brian Shaw won't interview for any job as long as the Pacers are still in the playoffs.
"I'm just waiting until I'm done," Shaw said. "I don't want to be a distraction. Right now, the last thing I would want to do is take away from what we're trying to accomplish here."
Shaw’s name has come up in connection with the opening in Orlando.
"Nothing has happened, so I'll cross that bridge if and when it happens," Shaw said. "I'm assuming they would have to take some time to find a general manager and do a coaching search after that. That will play out in due time."
Sixty players are scheduled to attend the 2012 NBA Draft combine in Chicago on June 7th and 8th.
Quincy Acy, Baylor Harrison Barnes, North Carolina Will Barton, Memphis Bradley Beal, Florida J'Covan Brown, Texas William Buford, Ohio State Jae Crowder, Marquette Jared Cunningham, Oregon State Anthony Davis, Kentucky Marcus Denmon, Missouri Andre Drummond, UConn Kim English, Missouri Festus Ezeli, Vanderbilt Evan Fournier, France Drew Gordon, New Mexico Draymond Green, Michigan State JaMychal Green, Alabama Moe Harkless, St. John's John Henson, North Carolina Tu Holloway, Xavier Robbie Hummel, Purdue Bernard James, Florida State John Jenkins, Vanderbilt Orlando Johnson, UC Santa Barbara Darius Johnson-Odom, Marquette Kevin Jones, West Virginia Perry Jones III, Baylor Terrence Jones, Kentucky Kris Joseph, Syracuse Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kentucky Doron Lamb, Kentucky Jeremy Lamb, UConn Meyers Leonard, Illinois Damian Lillard, Weber State Scott Machado, Iona Kendall Marshall, North Carolina Fab Melo, Syracuse Khris Middleton, Texas A&M Darius Miller, Kentucky Quincy Miller, Baylor Tony Mitchell, Alabama Arnett Moultrie, Mississippi State Kevin Murphy, Tennessee Tech Andrew Nicholson, St. Bonaventure Kyle O'Quinn, Norfolk State Miles Plumlee, Duke Austin Rivers, Duke Thomas Robinson, Kansas Terrence Ross, Washington Mike Scott, Virginia Henry Sims, Georgetown Jared Sullinger, Ohio State Jeff Taylor, Vanderbilt Tyshawn Taylor, Kansas Marquis Teague, Kentucky Hollis Thompson, Georgetown Dion Waiters, Syracuse Royce White, Iowa State Tony Wroten, Washington Tyler Zeller, North Carolina
Andrew Bynum had his best NBA season, but a source within the Lakers said he grew more vocal about his frustrations as the season wore on and was more prone to "acting out."
Luol Deng plans on playing for his native Britain at the London Olympics, despite having torn ligaments in his left wrist.
“I’m looking forward to playing in the Olympics," Deng said. "I’m so excited to take part in this competition; I’ve been dreaming about it since I was a young kid.”
Deng tore the ligament in his wrist in January and decided to play in pain rather than undergo surgery.
"It’s the toughest thing I’ve ever done in my career so far. It’s been hard, but I’m proud to have pushed my limits," Deng said.
Deng hasn’t decided whether to undergo surgery after the Olympics.
“I still don’t know if I’ll need a surgery. It will depend on how my wrist feels in the next few weeks. But right now, my mind is only focused on the Olympics,” Deng said.
Kyrie Irving, Ricky Rubio, Kenneth Faried, Klay Thompson, Iman Shumpert, Kawhi Leonard and Brandon Knight have been voted to the 2011-12 NBA All-Rookie First Team.
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