In this weekend's column, Marc Stein of ESPN.com talks to Thunder star Kevin Durant as he gears up for the team's playoff push. Some are wondering if the Lakers could give Oklahoma City a tough time in a first round matchup, but Durant doesn't seem too concerned about it. "They're a tough team, playing well, but it doesn't matter who we play," said Durant. Here's more from the Weekend Dime..
- The Nets have long been linked to Kentucky coach John Calipari, but the Wildcats' down season probably makes that union even less likely to happen. While Calipari is cognizant of the fact that Mikhail Prokhorov is the one owner that could put "Monopoly money" on the table, he will be itching to come back with a vengeance next season. Kentucky went from a national championship last year all the way to a first-round loss in the NIT to Robert Morris.
- The Grizzlies' players were vocal about wanting to keep Rudy Gay in the fold before the trade deadline but it seems as though they've rallied around each other in the wake of the trade with Toronto. Players are quick to point out how well they've been playing since the swap and some believe that the club had some degree of unrest with Gay in the mix. One insider sees it differently. "The guys really like [Zach Randolph] and [have] rallied around the guy who's still there," said the insider.
- Despite all the speculation about a possible return to Cleveland for LeBron James, Stein sees it as extremely unlikely. This time around, James won't be staring at two ringless hands and second guess his status quo. On top of having the security of a ring and a great thing going in Miami, Stein doesn't see him parting ways with Dwayne Wade given the bond that the two have developed.