INSIDE the playoffs

Sporting News, The, May 21, 2001

TSNumbers

.242 Juwan Howard's shooting accuracy in Games 1-3 vs. the Spurs. He found them easier to hit than the basket.

1 Point the Hornets lost by in Game 2 vs. the Bucks, the same number Derrick Coleman's bizarre technical cost them.

4 First-half points by Vince Carter in the Raptors' Game 3 win over the 76ers, five short of a playoffs record.

59 Rebounds Shaquille O'Neal grabbed in the first three games of the Lakers-Kings series.

PLAYER to WATCH

Until SG Derek Anderson returns from an injured shoulder, the Spurs are relying on Antonio Daniels to replace Anderson in the starling lineup. That might not be such a drawback. Daniels averaged 14 points on blistering 57.9 percent shooting in the first four games of the Mavericks series that ended for Anderson in Game 1. By comparison, Anderson's four first-round games against the Timberwolves were a bust. He averaged 11 points on 31.9 percent shooting and committed 3.3 turnovers a game. If Anderson's shoulder isn't fully healthy, the Spurs might not need to rush him back.

SEE A different GAME

Hornets coach Paul Silas stands by his strategy that backfired at the end of Charlotte's Game 2 loss to the Bucks. Milwaukee led, 91-90, and had the ball with 27.2 seconds left, and Silas chose to play defense instead of foul. He was hoping to get the ball back with about three seconds left, needing a basket to win, instead of fouling and needing to hit a 3-pointer just to tie. Silas was criticized because Bucks SF Glenn Robinson missed a jumper in the lane with five seconds left, and Milwaukee retrieved the rebound and ran out the clock. Silas calls that "second-guessing" and says he would do the same thing the next time in the same situation, especially because his team was 0-for-6 from 3-point range in the game.

TO the NET

After the lottery settles the draft order this weekend, check out www.sportingnews.com/nba/draft for TSN's latest mock draft.