Willie Cauley-Stein posted similar numbers in his junior season as he did as a sophomore, but he significantly increased his draft stock.

Cauley-Stein is judged largely by his intangibles on defense.

"He got better," writes Chad Ford. "Not everything WCS does shows up on a stat sheet. But the big thing for him will be interviews. Lots of questions among NBA GMs on how dedicated he is to the game and personality stuff. He's a highly intelligent person and sometimes that scares NBA teams. They want guys who are focused on basketball 24/7. That's all they eat, drink or sleep. When guys have interests outside of basketball, and I think WCS does, they worry."

Jimmy Butler said he has been too focused on his offense as the Chicago Bulls fell to the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday.

"I have," Butler said. "I'll stay on us about it. I'm supposed to be the prime-time defensive guy, and I haven't been guarding a soul. I've been worried about offense too much, and I need to change that quickly or it's going to be my fault."

Butler almost racked up a triple-double in Monday's loss with 20 points, 10 rebounds and six assists, but he was just 5-for-21 from the field in 46 minutes of play. He is averaging 44.2 minutes per game in the series.

"I think they just played harder than we did," Butler said. "On both ends of the floor. End of story. They played harder than we did."

Rick Carlisle criticized the officiating after the Dallas Mavericks' loss in Game 3 to fall to a 3-0 deficit to the Houston Rockets.

“They’re a more physical team,” Carlisle said, “but this series has got to be played within the rules.

“My hope is that in Game 4 — the one play that’s kind of an image stuck in my mind, and I just looked at it six times on the film, is the first play of the fourth quarter. We’re scrambling like hell defensively, and Devin Harris is going to get the ball, and Dwight Howard throws him into our bench.”

Mark Cuban also appeared agitated about the officiating, with Adam Silver in attendance.

“That stuff’s got to stop,” Carlisle said. “The officials [have] got to get that stuff under control, because there’s too much physical stuff going on. Howard is throwing people all over the place. And that can’t happen in Game 4.”

Kevin Love has been playing better basketball for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the playoffs and had 23 points and nine rebounds while shooting 6-for-10 on three-pointers in their Game 3 win over the Boston Celtics.

"He's been highly criticized this year, and for what, I don't know why," James said, before pausing, and smiling. "I know why. I know why. I know."

Love was traded to the Cavaliers in the offseason and he can become a free agent in the offseason.

"For a team that finally gets together and they have a big three, they have to find someone," James said. "When I was in Miami, Chris Bosh was that guy at one point...Kevin was the guy they tried to find and tear him down. One thing about him, he's always stayed positive. I've always believed in him." 

"People have focused my whole career on what I couldn't do rather than what I could," Love said. "I know my teammates and coaching staff have my back. The organization has my back. I'm sending love right back to them. I think tonight was one of those times my numbers was called to step up and hit a big shot."

The chemistry between the Cavaliers seems to be at a season-high.

"I don't get too involved in what everybody says," James said. "I know what type of player (Love) is, what type of competitor he is, and I know he relishes the opportunity to be a part of this franchise and the postseason. With everything said with the first eight months of the season, he's definitely used it as motivation. I think he's a big-time player, he's a cerebral basketball player, and in order to be the team we want to be long term, Kevin is going to be Kevin, which he was tonight."

Josh Smith controlled the second half of the Houston Rockets' Game 2 win over the Dallas Mavericks.

Smith had 13 points, six rebounds and nine assists in 20 minutes in the second half. Of those nine assists, six were on dunks and five were lobs to Dwight Howard. 

Toni Kukoc is the only other forward since 1985 to record nine or more assists as a reserve in a playoff game.

"This is why I came here," Smith told Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski.

Draymond Green is one of the NBA's most versatile defenders, but Anthony Davis represents a special challenge for him in the Golden State Warriors' first round series against the New Orleans Pelicans.

“It’s tough–most guys I give up length to who I guard, most of them aren’t as quick as me, though," said Green. "He’s both. Special athlete, man. So it’s always tough because he’s the not the type that’s really trying to back me down; he’s going to face up every time.

“And he uses his speed to his advantage. But even if I cut him off, he’s so long, he’ll still try to shoot over the top.

“But that’s what you have to make him do, though. You have to to make him take tough shots with you in between him and the basket. When he’s getting dunks and lay-ups, he’s unstoppable. But if you can make him tough shots with you in between you and the basket, you’ve got a much better chance of stopping him.

“That was my focus the entire night, just trying to make him tough shots. If he hits them, he hits them.”

Green hopes to eventually wear down Davis each game.

”You’re making him take those tough shots, eventually he’ll wear down. Once he started to wear down, those tough shots don’t go in as easily. And that’s really what you want to do as a defender.

“It’s a 48-minute marathon. It’s not a 12-minute race. For 48 minutes you’ve got to continue to grind and grind and grind.

“At some point he’ll wear down and those tough shots won’t fall as consistently.”

Anthony Davis said he wants to be mentioned with NBA greats such as Bill Russell.

"When you mention basketball or NBA and you talk about greatest players, I definitely want to be in that conversation," Davis said. "You mention Bill Russell, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, all those guys. I want to be in that conversation."

Davis scored 35 points in the New Orleans Pelicans' loss to the Golden State Warriors in Game 1 on Saturday.

"I'm more focused on Golden State, what they're trying to do to stop us and what we're trying to do to stop them," Davis said. "But you do think about Bill Russell and what he did here, what he did for the league. He led the way for guys like us today.

"I went in the Bill Russell Room, and me and (a Pelicans media relations official) were saying (as they looked at the picture) that he looks so much younger. He and I were in the same predicament. It's just cool when you see something like that."

Andre Drummond posted a Tweet that he has since deleted indicating he would love to play with Draymond Green.

Green will be a restricted free agent in the offseason and was an All-American at Michigan State.

Green is one of the NBA's best stretch forwards and would seemingly be an ideal fit for the Detroit Pistons beside Drummond.

“I want @Money23Green on my team .......” wrote Drummond.

The Indiana Pacers plan on playing faster on offense next season to contend with smaller and versatile lineups of opponents.

Roy Hibbert is the player that will most likely be impacted by the change in scheme.

"Possibly," said Vogel when asked if Hibbert will be benched. "Roy's role will be diminished."

Hibbert can opt out to become a free agent.

"Whatever he does, he does," said Larry Bird. "We'll assume he's going to come back."

Paul George will play some small-ball 4 for the Pacers.

The Golden State Warriors finished the 14-15 season first in the NBA in efficiency differential in the regular season at +10.3 per 100 possessions. The Los Angeles Clippers, San Antonio Spurs, Atlanta Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers round out the top-5.

The Warriors, Spurs, Hawks and Portland Trail Blazers were the only four teams to finish in the top-10 in both offensive and defensive efficiency.

1. Golden State Warriors: 10.3
2. Los Angeles Clippers: 6.9
3. San Antonio Spurs: 6.5
4. Atlanta Hawks: 5.8
5. Cleveland Cavaliers: 4.8
6. Portland Trail Blazers: 4.5
7. Memphis Grizzlies: 3.4
8. Toronto Raptors: 3.3
9. Houston Rockets: 3.3
10. Chicago Bulls: 3.2
11. Dallas Mavericks 3.0
12. Oklahoma City Thunder: 2.3
13. New Orleans Pelicans: 0.9
14. Washington Wizards: 0.8
15. Utah Jazz: 0.6
16. Indiana Pacers: 0.5
17. Milwaukee Bucks: 0.4
18. Boston Celtics: 0.2
19. Phoenix Suns: -0.9
20. Detroit Pistons: -1.1
21. Miami Heat: -2.9
22. Brooklyn Nets: -3.1
23. Charlotte Hornets: -3.4
24. Denver Nuggets: -3.7
25. Sacramento Kings: -3.9
26. Orlando Magic: -6.1
27. Los Angeles Lakers: -7.2
28. Minnesota Timberwolves: -9.3
29. Philadelphia 76ers: -9.3
30. New York Knicks: -10.1