| Report: Knicks trying to trade up for Jimmer Fredette | 06.21.11 at 2:13 pm ET |
ESPN’s Chad Ford reported Monday that the Knicks are one of several teams trying to get ahead of the Jazz at the number 12 pick in Thursday’s draft order to select BYU star guard Jimmer Fredette. At the same time, the Kings are rumored to want Fredette with the seventh pick.
While the risk of drafting Fredette has been debated endlessly, scouts agree that he could fit will into the Knicks’ wide-open offensive system, although New York already features two premier scorers in Amare Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony.
On Monday, Fredette told The Dan Patrick Show the Knicks would be his preferred destination, with the Jazz a close second.
| Getting up to speed on the NBA playoffs | 05.07.10 at 11:04 am ET |
There was talk of injuries, non-injuries, guys missing practice, guys not getting MRIs. Oh, the things that can be reported on in a four-day period when there are no actual games to watch in the Celtics-Cavaliers series. Did there need to be this window between games? No, but that argument is for another day.
While the on-court action was lacking in the series New Englanders care most about, there was some action across the rest of the league.
The three other series stand at 2-0, as all the teams held serve at home, and here is a quick recap of what happened on the hardwood.

Is Dwight Howard the real Superman? Sure looks like it in the Magic-Hawks series. (AP)
MAGIC VS. HAWKS
The Magic had a long layoff after sweeping the Bobcats in the first round, but there were no signs of rust, as they cruised to a 43-point win in Game 1. A 43-point win in the playoffs! The Magic followed that up with a 112-98 win on Thursday night, so kudos to the Hawks for cutting down on the margin of defeat.
Really, though, this Hawks team is mind-boggling. It seems as if the only team the Hawks can get up to play against is the Celtics. But they are far too talented to lose to anyone by 43 points.
Dwight Howard had a foul-filled first round against the Bobcats, but he is literally unstoppable vs. the Hawks. This probably would have happened against the Bucks as well, because they don’t have a big man that can match up against “Superman.”
In Game 1, Howard went for 21 points and 12 rebounds in just under 29 minutes, and the big man followed that up with an impressive 29 and 17 in Game 2.
The Celtics put down similar beatings on the Hawks in 2008 at the Garden, and the Hawks recovered to win every home game in Atlanta, but who knows what their mindset is like now? A 43-point loss in the playoffs would make a lot of people start thinking about vacation.

Kobe Bryant has imposed his will against the Jazz. (AP)
LAKERS VS. JAZZ
Maybe all the Lakers needed was a wake-up call to get back on track. LA has been on a roll since Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook put a scare into the defending champs in Games 3 and 4 of the opening round.
The Lakers have won four straight — two against the Thunder and two against the Jazz — and look poised to return to the NBA Finals.
Kobe Bryant has topped the 30-point plateau in his last three games, after back-to-back bad games against OKC. A healthy and efficient Bryant opens up opportunities for Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum on the inside, and with that length up front, the Lakers are tough to handle.
The Jazz might get a boost with the return of Andrei Kirilenko, and playing in Utah with the white-out stands is always a tough place to play.
Games 3 and 4 were not pretty for the Lakers in their last round, so the Jazz could get something going if they can take care of their home court.

Jared Dudley has been a spark for the Suns in the playoffs. (AP)
SUNS VS. SPURS
In the first half of Game 2, the Spurs outplayed the Suns but couldn’t land a knockout blow. The Suns hung around and pulled away in the fourth and now own a 2-0 series lead. The Spurs and Suns have had all kinds of playoff battles over the years, and Steve Nash seems to be getting a little help from his supporting cast this time around
Former BC star Jared Dudley is bringing an energy and fire of the bench for Los Suns. Dudley had 11 points, but more importantly six rebounds — four offensive. The offensive rebounds in Game 2 probably are why the Suns won the game. They held an 18-7 advantage on the offensive glass, and on the extra possessions they were able to kick it out to wide-open shooters such as Jason Richardson (19 points on 3-for-6 shooting from 3-point range) to knock out the Spurs.

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