Three Pacific Division teams qualified for the postseason this year, but the Lakers have already been swept out of the first round, while the Clippers are a single game away from elimination. The division's best hope for sending a team through to the second round appears to be the Warriors, who will head back to the NBA's loudest arena looking to eliminate the Nuggets in Game Six tomorrow night. As we look forward to that game, let's check out a few updates on Pacific teams:
- Current NBA commissioner David Stern and future commissioner Adam Silver appeared on the Charlie Rose Show on PBS yesterday and discussed the relocation's committee recommendation to keep the Kings in Sacramento, as Dale Kasler, Ryan Lillis, and Tony Bizjak of the Sacramento Bee detail.
- Silver on the committee's decision: "I think some people are surprised at the preliminary decision the relocation committee has made. They say, 'Look at Seattle — there's more corporate headquarters, there's more TV households, there's the potential to generate more revenue there. Shouldn't you move a franchise to the market where there's more revenue?' And our response is, 'Not necessarily, that if you look at total value over time, and brand building, and community support, and that continuity is important.'"
- Having seen the relocation committee's vote go against him, Chris Hansen is considering trying to persuade NBA owners to approve his purchase of the franchise, even if he isn't initially permitted to relocate it, according to a Reuters report. That sounds like a real reach to me, and Sactown Royalty agrees, providing its own take on the story right here.
- Vinny Del Negro can't remain the Clippers' head coach if the team is knocked out in the first round, says Tom Ziller of SBNation.com. Ziller also speculates that Chris Paul might flee in free agency after a first-round loss, but I'd be pretty shocked if that happened.
- In his NBA AM piece for HoopsWorld, Lang Greene explains why this offseason will be a crucial one for the Warriors.
- Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times argues that the Lakers ought to offer Phil Jackson the team presidency.