Mike Budenholzer plans to emphasize ball movement as head coach of the Atlanta Hawks.

A longtime assistant to Gregg Popovich, Budenholzer believes the Spurs’ offensive system is catching on with other teams.

“I think the league and the NBA, whether it’s fundamentals or the style of playing, is moving toward the style that we’re playing,” Budenholzer said. “I look forward to bringing to Atlanta the ball movement and people movement and people sharing and participating and a little bit less of the one on one.

“It’s something you have to believe in and you have to sell. I think in the initial stages it may be a little difficult, but in the long run players, coaches, fans and everyone will enjoy it and see the benefits.”

Budenholzer intends to build around Al Horford and the financial flexibility Danny Ferry created before the 2012-13 season.

The Hawks could have as much as $40 million in cap space this summer.

“We want to build it and so as a coach that is exciting,” Budenholzer said. “That is why to me, that roster element in making the decision was strong.”

When told an inside approach will not occur with Mike D'Antoni coaching the Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson agreed.

"You're right," Jackson said. "They picked the path to go on and they think that's the future of the NBA and we'll see. We'll see if it is."

In Jackson's mind, the Lakers must make the inside game a major facet of their game plan, involving Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol.

"I think they need to get back inside, where the strength of their team is and use that presence in there to dominate games," Jackson said. "I think there is a way to do that."

Jackson is adamant he will not coach again in the NBA.

LeBron James has denied he is a flopper, but he believes that it is a useful strategy.

"Some guys have been doing it for years, just trying to get an advantage," James said on Monday. "Any way you can get an advantage over the opponent to help your team win, so be it."

The Miami Heat, especially James, and the Indiana Pacers appear to have opposite views on flopping.

"I think it's well documented. I'm not for flopping," Frank Vogel said.

"It happens," Dwyane Wade said. "We would have no NBA possibly if they got rid of all the flopping."

The Indiana Pacers had one of the NBA's best defenses during the regular season, but struggled to contain the Miami Heat in Game 3 on that end of the floor.

“It’s probably the most difficult offense to prepare for in the NBA,” Frank Vogel said. “That’s the challenge we have ahead of us. I have great confidence in our ability to make up for the areas we were lacking in (Sunday).”

Udonis Haslem helped the Heat space the court by hitting from the mid-range.

“When they have us spread out, it’s a little harder to contain, especially when they go small (and) have five guys at the 3-point line,” David West said. “Basically it opens the free throw line all the way down to the baseline. For us, we have to stay the course, rely on our ability to make teams shoot contested 2-point shots. We have to contain the dribble a little bit better and we can’t overreact.”

Roy Hibbert has become a vastly improved player since coming into the NBA, at least partially due to his conditioning. 

Hibbert has added MMA training into his offseason routine over the past few years.

"It pushed me to my limit sometimes," said Hibbert. "We used to break things up, where we'd have 30 minutes of mitts, just punching. And then we'd do like a Cross Fit workout, where I may have to run on the treadmill, do some Burpees, do some pushups, do some ropes, do some wall getups, stuff like that. Or, like, get on the ground, and have to get up with somebody on top of you. It's just mentally fatiguing, and it strengthens you a lot more. Last game [Game 2], I'm, at the free-throw line, and I'm obviously tired, and I hear fans in the Miami section saying, 'Hey, Roy, you're bending over, you're looking tired, looking tired.' I'm like, this is nothing compared to what I did during the summer. During Game 6 of the Knicks series, I'm exhausted. I'm bending down in the timeout, 20-second timeout, basically on the ground. I'm exhausted. And the next play out, I get that block. It's just trying to be resilient. We need to get further. So that's what was on my mind."

The Miami Heat made a concerted effort to feature LeBron James in the post in Game 3.

The Indiana Pacers did not double James, allowing Paul George to try to defend him one-on-one. The Pacers were afraid to give help on James due to the space it would provide for Miami's shooters.

The Heat scored 70 points in the first half.

"It was something we wanted to get to," Erik Spoelstra said. "To help settle us and get us into a more aggressive attack. We wanted to be a little more aggressive, a little more committed to getting into the paint. LeBron was very committed and focused to not settle."

Seven of James' eight field goals in the game came in the paint.

"I made a conscious effort to sit in the post, to put more pressure on the defense," James said. "Coach Spoelstra wanted me to do that and my teammates allowed me to do that."

Amar'e Stoudemire will resume working out with Hakeem Olajuwon for the second summer in a row, according to his training adviser Travis King.

King said the workouts will take place in August at Olajuwon's ranch outside Houston.

Olajuwon reportedly charges $50,000 a week for private instruction.

Frank Vogel decided to leave Roy Hibbert on the bench in two key defensive plays late in the Indiana Pacers' overtime loss to the Miami Heat in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

Hibbert is one of the NBA's best rim protectors, but struggles to defend the perimeter. Vogel was concerned that guarding Chris Bosh on the perimeter would negate Hibbert's usefulness at the basket. Nevertheless, the Pacers would surely prefer to be beat on a jumper than a LeBron James' layup.

"I've grown as a player, this is my fifth year and maybe I need to start talking up more," Hibbert told Yahoo! Sports. "They pay me [max-contract money] for a reason.

"I didn't say anything, and I wish I did. From now on, I need to speak up."

Vogel admitted after the game that he will almost certainly not make the same mistake again in the series.

"I would say we'll probably have him in next time," Vogel said.

LeBron James sought the advice of Ray Allen on how to shoot free throws and the four-time MVP is beginning to reap the benefits.

James shot 80.8 percent from the stripe in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

"We’ve talked ad nauseam about his bad habits when he misses free throws, so he kind of has a better idea of it," Allen said. "He should watch real film of it. Not just game film, but on the court practicing. And then find that routine and stick to it and give himself a better chance."

James has taken to challenging Allen to free throw competitions during practice.

"You don’t want to look crazy making six out of 10 when he’s making 10 out of 10 every time," James said. "So, he puts pressure on me to make free throws, and I just try to translate what we do in practice into the game."

Due to the injury to David Lee, the Golden State Warriors were forced to be inventive and play Harrison Barnes minutes at power forward.

Many in the media had proposed that Barnes play as the Warriors' small ball power forward previously in the season in order to space the floor due to their lack of playmakers able to get to the basket off the dribble.

"It was fun to kind of play that style," said Barnes. "We’d never really done that before this season. Really, I’d never really played that at Carolina. I’ve always been so accustomed to having two bigs, especially fixtures on the block.

"So just to be able to play that spread out basketball, kind of drive and kick… it was fun to have four people who could handle the ball, just get out on the break, we all had different mis-matches. It was exciting."