Morning Hardwood: Losers Go Home

And That Means You, Clippers. "Losers" might be a little bit harsh, and it pains me to say anything bad about Sam Cassell, but ... when you've got a playoff spot waiting for you on a silver platter, and you can't do better than 4-5 down the stretch, I'm sorry, but that shoe fits snugly. And congrats to NOOCH on a relatively successful campaign. In the end, they were just one game worse than the Clippers. And the entire NBA community, players, front office, fans, owes the city of Oklahoma City a debt of gratitude. Rasual Butler hit the game-winner for the Hornets, but the Clippers' fate was sealed before it hit net.

Get Don Nelson A Scotch. Double. Just a total dismantling of the Blazers last night ... it was never close. Stephen Jackson had 31, Jason Richardson 25, and Al Harrington 24. It was business-like in its efficiency, really. The Warriors are playing their best ball at the right time, they look like they love playing together, and they don't care who gets the shots. And while we're here, let's point out a career night for the Blazers Travis Outlaw. The lesson here is that teams should wait a long, long time before giving up on their high-school draftees (which no longer exist). Things will click next year for Outlaw.

Improving By Three Seeds, Very Quickly. With their win over the Bucks, and Chicago's loss to New Jersey, the Cavs improve their playoff fortunes tremendously. Now it's the Bulls who have to play the Heat in the first round, and the Cavs won't have to play either of the East's other elite teams, the Pistons or Heat, until the Finals, provided they get there. LeBron brought it with 24 and 9 assists.