"I'm sure there's a way they can both Juwan and Drew come back next year, but I think it's fair to say that that's a chemistry issue and a maximizing-your-resources issue," Magic GM Weisbrod said. "The way it looked this season, it would be less than ideal to put ourselves in that position again."

Having said that and considering the fact that Gooden is almost 9 years younger than Howard, and has a shorter contract paying him annually less, it is safe to assume that the one likely to be available is Drew Gooden.

Delonte West will declare for this June's NBA draft at a 3 p.m. news conference today but he will not hire an agent, reserving the right to withdraw from the draft and return to Hawk Hill for his senior season if he chooses.

"We just want him to be in the best situation possible," Hawks coach Phil Martelli said.

Hornets guard Baron Davis may have been on song offensively in the last two games - ironically both Hornets wins - but Heat coach Stan Van Gundy is sticking by his guns and says he doesn't plan to change how the team defends Davis.

"He's a point guard; you're not going to limit his touches," Van Gundy said. "I think we've done a pretty good job on him, contrary to what you guys may think. Look at his numbers and what he normally does during the regular season. Look at his numbers now, and we've done a decent job."

With neither team winning on the road during the playoffs and the series moving back to Miami, Hornets point guard Darrell Armstrong expects to see more physical play from the Miami Heat in Game 5.

Armstrong is also hopeful that his New Orlean's teammates can match the intensity, making for a fierce battle in a game which could make or break a team's playoff ambitions.

"Guys are going to be battling trying to get rebounds and block shots, and some are going to be diving on the floor for loose balls and getting in front of people to force (offensive) charging fouls," Armstrong said. "I just hope most of it comes from us."

Bulls restricted free agent Marcus Fizer's timing could not have been worse.  Roman Modrowski of the Chicago Sun-Times is reporting that Fizer most likely will require a second surgery on his right knee.

With the Bulls unlikely to extend a qualifying offer to him even before the injury, Fizer will now become an unrestricted free agent without a contract.

''It's disappointing,'' said Henry Thomas, Fizer's agent. ''But he's doing good, and he's anxious to get done whatever has to get done, so he can start rehabbing before reporting to somebody's camp.''

''We knew something wasn't quite right when he took a physical right after the season,'' Thomas said. ''It wasn't swollen, but something was wrong.

''It's too soon to tell how bad it is. I don't think next season is in jeopardy. I'm not sure if this changes anything with how we'll approach free agency this summer.''

The NBA has stepped in hoping to put an end to the war of words between the Timberwolves and the Nuggets leading up to Game 5.

According to Chris Dempsey of the Denver Post NBA vice president of operations Stu Jackson told members of both teams to zip it.

"He spoke to the teams and the players who made comments and told them that wasn't appropriate," NBA spokesperson Tim Frank said.

Things heated up between the teams after the Nuggets Francisco Elson called Minnesota superstar "gay" for hitting him in the groin in Game 4.  Elson later apologized to the gay and lesbian community for his comments.

"I would like to apologize to the gay and lesbian community for my comments about Kevin Garnett. I realize my comments were insensitive and they were out of character for me. However, I take full responsibility, and I have learned a valuable lesson."

"I didn't mean anything negative towards them or towards anybody about it," Elson said. "I said it, I apologized, enough said. Hopefully they will respect me and take my apology as it is."

Despite the warning from the league, the verbal comments did continue on Thursday.

Asked whether he expected more cheap shots tonight in what has become a physical series, Nuggets guard Jon Barry said: "You worry about that, them sending some thug like that, like Oliver Miller, to knock somebody out or something like that, at the end of the game if it gets out of hand."

Minnesota coach Flip Saunders is disappointed at the talking coming from Denver players.

"They can say all they want. No one wants to fight. These guys are not fighters. ... We're not going to get caught up in all that. I'm sure they're not. First of all, they are professional players. They are here to represent the league. The league isn't about fighting."

With the Mavericks once again eliminated from the Playoffs after having high hopes of a playoff run the attacks about the team's (lack of) defense are again bubbling to the surface.

More intriguing, however, are the attacks which are coming about the team's offense.  The big O' was always the strength of this Dallas team we've been told, especially after the high scorers added more scoring in the form of Antoine Walker and Antawn Jamieson via trades in the offseason.

The results though, according to David Moore of the Dallas Morning Journal, were too many predictable plays in key games and not enough creativity.  

While being forced to live through the next six months reading article after article about ways these Mavericks can improve their defense, the team must also survive knowing that the Kings were able to shut down their favored pick and roll game and in doing so shut down the Mavericks high powered offense.  Both went hand in hand.

The team could not protect a lead, and it does not have a 'go to' play it can rely on when it needs a basket.  Lack of execution in the halfcourt hurt the

Danny Ainge was finally able to get his guy at the helm in Boston, and as Doc Rivers was introduced at a press conference at the Fleet Center yesterday afternoon the Celtics owners, players and team employees all showed their appreciation.

Rivers communicated well during the conference, saying that while there might have been safer jobs for him to persue this summer Boston was the challenge he wanted because of his relationship with Ainge, they are the history enriched Celtics, and that the team always wants to win.

"I don't know [if taking this job] is a gamble," said Rivers. "Well, I guess it is, but it's the one I wanted to take. There were probably safer situations out there, but I liked this one right away. This is the Boston Celtics. I don't think you take the safe job all the time. I'm going to make this work. I have a great relationship with Danny. And I'll tell you something -- they haven't won it every year here, but they want to win it every year."

News from the New York Post has ex-Knicks coach Don Cheaney re-surfacing in Cleveland as an assistant coach to Paul Silas.

The Cavaliers have an assistant coaching position open firing Bob Donewald yesterday, and while the official search is yet to begin Silas is said to be looking for a veteran assistant.

If you listen to Houston Chronicle writer Richard Justice then the Houston Rockets have only one piece which should not be up for offer this offseason, and he is not American.  Yao Ming, the Rockets gentle giant, should be the only untouchable Rocket.

While the team has made strides in this season, they are a team heavy on talent but shallow on cohesiveness and if they want to become a championship contender rather than a playoff filler then this will need to change.

The first step Justice says he'd do is offer All-Star guard Steve Francis for All-Star forward Elton Brand of the Clippers straight up.  Brand was taken with the first overall pick in the 1999 NBA draft by the Bulls and Francis second by Vancouver, but this isn't important, nor is the Clippers response.  Even if Los Angeles says no, writes Justice, the tone will have been set for the summer and the Rockets would be proactive rather than timid.

The plan is to make the Rockets a better team, not more talented.  This begins with a defensive oriented power forward.

With no first-round draft choice and little available cap space, Rockets GM Carroll Dawson won't have an easy summer.  To improve the Rockets must sacrafice, and to sacrafice something important must be given up for the betterment of the team.  

The team's biggest tradeable asset outside of Yao is Francis, and exchanging Francis for a power forward is a price the Rockets may have to pay.

'Perhaps more than any other position, point guards can be found in unlikely places. Some of the best have bounced around or been cut before finding a place they fit.'  The Rockets may be able to live without Francis, but will they be successful with him?

This is a decision that Dawson will have to make.