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Updated: April 15, 10:36 AM ET
ESPN.com |
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ATLANTA -- First, of course, is the obligatory MJ Update. As of late Saturday night, the signals coming from Eastern Conference operatives are that East players -- and especially coach Isiah Thomas -- simply refuse to let Michael Jordan come off the bench in Sunday's All-Star Game, no matter what Jordan prefers. The West is also said to be preparing a tribute of sorts, orchestrated by Gary Payton, but don't rule out an Isiah-led group shove to get Jordan onto the floor for the opening tip, if that's what it takes. Next, inevitably, comes the burning question from an unusually newsy All-Star Saturday: Does the new playoff format, best-of-seven games in Round 1 starting this season, help or hurt the Lakers? There will be a loud majority arguing that the daunting prospect of beating L.A. four times in one series makes the unexpected change a bonus for the Lakers. The initial reaction here is that it could actually hurt the three-time champs, who suddenly face a longer grind with a thinner team, and without the opportunity to show up for the first round as the textbook illustration of a low seed that can torment the home-court team in a short series. Lastly, the focus shifts to Commisioner Stern, after he uncorked a few surprises at his annual state-of-the-league address. Sitting next to Players Association chief Billy Hunter, somewhat unexpected in itself, Stern introduced the changes in the playoff format and didn't stop there.
Saturday's non-surprise is that pretty much all of the unity on display at the Stern-Hunter news conference is money-driven. Expanding the playoffs will increase revenue, at a time when all teams need it, and Stern's eagerness to work in concert with Hunter -- and vice versa -- is a clear hint from both sides that they want to protect what they have before the landscape gets messier. For all the dour financial forecasts in professional sports today, the average NBA salary is still a tidy $4.6 million. Stern and Hunter are now both expressing hope that they can extend the current labor agreement before next December, when league owners must decide whether to exercise an option to extend the pact through the 2004-05 season. The central issue continues to be the concept of the luxury tax, which severely restricts player movement because teams are increasingly unwilling to make trades or signings because they want to ensure they fall below the expected luxury-tax threshold of $52 million. Hunter undoubtedly wants the tax abolished in exchange for several more years of labor peace. He might have to settle for a cap on how much tax one team pays, and will undoubtedly have to address Stern's push for an age limit of 20, but the union has to be encouraged. Reason being: Stern was a rather giddy and giving commish on the eve of MJ's All-Star finale. "This is something that's important for us to try very hard to do at this time in our league, in our country, in our economy," Stern said of extending the labor pact. Said Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, in response: "It's great to have the players and teams on the same side." Marc Stein is the senior NBA writer for ESPN.com. To e-mail him, click here. |
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