Eastern Conference

Sporting News, The, May 21, 2001

CHICAGO BULLS: The Bulls hope to win in the draft lottery, and high school C Eddy Curry and Seton Hall F Eddie Griffin are players who would interest the team. Yao Ming, a 7-6 center, was expected to be the top pick in the draft and many feel the Bulls would have had interest in him, but his Chinese team made it official last week that Ming, 21, won't join the NBA for another year or so. If the Bulls get the top pick, they likely lean toward the best center available. --Lacy J. Banks

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS: Former Trail Blazers coach Mike Dunleavy, fired last week, appears to be one of the top candidates for the team's vacancy. Dunleavy (398-390 overall, 190-106 the last four years in Portland) has a track record with Cavaliers G.M. Jim Paxson, who was the Blazers' assistant G.M. Lionel Hollins, who played with Paxson for the Blazers in 1979 is a candidate, too. Hollins had an 18-42 record as the Grizzlies' interim coach last season. --Bob Finnan

DETROIT PISTONS: Ben Wallace's performance this season likely will remain in the Pistons' record books. Wallace, a 6-8, 235-pound power forward who baffled centers all season, became the first Piston to lead the team in rebounds, blocks and steals in the same season. He is also the first Piston to record more than 1,000 rebounds (1,052), 100 blocks (186) and 100 steals (107) in a season. His 13.1 rebounding average was second in the league. Wallace established himself as a foundation player for the team. --Chris McCosky

INDIANA PACERS: The younger guys-SF Jonathan Bender, SF Al Harrington, PF Jermaine O'Neal, F/C Foster, C Bruno Sundov and C Primoz Brezec--can bring improvement next season if each progresses this summer. O'Neal can be an All-Star, and the offseason will reveal a great deal about his work ethic. He says he'll put on 20 pounds of muscle, plus develop better post moves and a midrange jump shot.... PG Travis Best could be the starting point guard next season if he has a productive summer. --Mark Montieth

MILWAUKEE BUCKS: The Bucks lost three of four games during the regular season to Charlotte because the larger Hornets smashed them on the boards. But that was before the Bucks stopped double-teaming and eliminated the trap. That freed up an extra big body for weakside rebounding help, which worked in the first two games of the series. In Game 3, the Bucks found they need someone other than C Ervin Johnson and PF Scott Williams to carry the load. PF Jason Caffey disappeared and had only 1 rebound. --Michael Hunt

TORONTO RAPTORS: Getting past the Knicks transformed the Raptors into a team full of poise and confidence. A 54-point performance from 76ers SG Allen Iverson in Game 2 only served to spur a 50-point performance from G/F Vince Carter in a victory two nights later.... C Antonio Davis, who is undersized (6-9) at the position, turned in the best performance of his career as the season's highest-scoring center in the East. In the playoffs, he has improved his scoring and rebounding averages again as a dependable presence who fearlessly attacked 7-2 Dikembe Mutombo. --Craig Daniels