Lance Stephenson Goes Coast-to-Coast on the Knicks, Goes Right Through Raymond Felton 
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Watch Klay Thompson Get Buckets in High School NBA Draft Early Entrants and Miami’s Defining Player
Dwight Howard (photo. Mannion)
Alonzo Mourning had his #33 retired during halftime of Heat/Magic, the first player in Miami franchise history to get the honor — if you don’t count when the Heat retired #23 for Michael Jordan or #13 for Dan Marino — and the right player to get the honor. After Glen Rice set the foundation and before D-Wade came around, ‘Zo has been the heart of the franchise and was its defining player for a long time … Dikembe Mutombo, Big John Thompson, Riles and Tim Hardaway (towel draped over his shoulder for some reason) were among those in attendance. Patrick Ewing also came out from the Orlando locker room for the ceremony, along with the entire Miami team. Feel-good moment all around, from the tribute video to seeing ‘Zo cry as they raised his jersey, although it was CRAZY long. The whole thing was seriously like 45 minutes … As for the game, D-Wade scored 42 points (16-34 FG) and had Miami in the lead with about three minutes left in the fourth quarter, but a Dwight Howard free throw, a Rashard Lewis three, and another Howard bucket inside put the Magic ahead for good … During the game Dwight (22 pts, 18 rebs) broke Wilt Chamberlain‘s record for the youngest player to grab 5,000 rebounds. Dwight is a full two years and a few days younger than Wilt was when he recorded five grand … Bad news for the Heat: Luther Head suffered a broken hand during the game and will be out at least through the first round of the playoffs. Head was giving the team some decent minutes at PG for the second unit, but now it’s back to D-Wade and Mario Chalmers as the primary ballhandlers … Should the Jazz be concerned that they’ve blown two 20-point leads in the span of three days? On Saturday they were up 21 on the Suns, somehow fell behind, but rallied to win in overtime. (With a lot of help from crucial Phoenix turnovers and Deron Williams‘ ice-water clutch jumpers.) Last night Utah was 20-piecing the Knicks at halftime, but Al Harrington sparked NY’s comeback. The Knicks led by one midway through the fourth before the Jazz got their act together and put together a mini-run to close it out … Once again Harrington (24 pts) lost his head and cost his team down the stretch, nullifying what had otherwise been a good game for him. The Knicks were down six with about 20 seconds left — still breathing, at least — when Harrington started arguing with a ref and got two techs. After Al got the boot, Kyle Korver iced it with free throws …
Vince Carter, Dime #21
Not sure if they’re mathematically eliminated or not, but the Nets are game-over. They got ran by 31 at home by the Bucks, collectively looking like they’d rather be anywhere else than on that court … Play of the game that summed everything up: Dan Gadzuric picked Trenton Hassell in the backcourt, then shook Hassell (who’s a solid defender) with an ugly/awkward behind-the-back dribble and dunked on him. You could see dudes on the Nets’ bench all sink into their chairs at that moment … A couple underclassmen declared for the NBA Draft yesterday: Florida PG Nick Calathes and Georgetown SF Dajuan Summers. Calathes left open the possibility of going back to school, but Summers is already looking for an agent. Summers came into G’town expected to be the next Jeff Green — a do-everything forward who could flourish in JT3‘s Princeton-like system — but in what was supposed to be his breakout year, he (and the Hoyas in general) was a disappointment. Calathes is a big point guard (6-6) who can pass, shoot and rebound for his position. They’re probably both first-round picks … Did you catch the McDonald’s H.S. All-American dunk contest? Avery Bradley, a 6-3 guard headed to Texas, took the crown, but we couldn’t get over Mason Plumlee. Everything about Plumlee says he didn’t even belong in the contest — he’s a 7-foot Eric Montross-looking kid who’s headed to Duke and does basket-weaving in his spare time — but he was pulling off some of the most creative and impressive dunks. Dunk of the night, though? Peyton Siva, a 5-11 PG headed to Louisville, had his boy toss it off the shot clock and caught a backwards dunk off the lob … We’re out like Summers …
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