Sale of Wizards to Leonsis close

The AP reports:

The family of late Washington Wizards owner Abe Pollin have agreed to the ”major economic terms” of a deal to sell its stake in the NBA team to Washington Capitals owner Ted Leonsis.

Leonsis, a former AOL executive, and the Pollins ran into some snags in talks this year. But in a statement Tuesday, Pollin’s sons, Robert and James, said they and their mother, Irene, congratulate Leonsis on this ”near-final step in a long negotiation.”

A person familiar with the negotiations confirmed to The Associated Press last month that the two sides agreed to value the franchise and the arena at slightly more than $550 million.

Jamal Crawford wins Sixth Man of Year

As expected, Atlanta Hawks guard Jamal Crawford won the 2009-10 NBA Sixth Man of the Year award.

He deserved it. Crawford’s scoring off the bench was a huge part of Atlanta’s success this year.

The team finished with a 53-29 record and the #3 seed in the Eastern conference.

For more info on the award, with voting results and the guys that finished behind Crawford, click here.

Spurs double-teams contain Nowitzki

Todd Archer for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports:

Spurs double-teams contain Nowitzki

For the first time in the playoff series, San Antonio double-teamed Dirk Nowitzki from start to finish in Sunday’s Game 4. The result was just 10 shots by the Mavericks’ leading scorer and a 92-89 Spurs victory.

It was only the third time in Nowitzki’s last 49 playoff games that he had taken 10 or fewer shots.

He made four of nine shots in a Game 4 win against the Spurs last year, scoring 12 points, but the Mavericks won that game.

Nowitzki expects more of the same in Game 5.

“In Game 3, I had a pretty good second half,” Nowitzki said. “They figured, ‘We better get the ball out of his hands.’ They came from the beginning on the block. They came on the isolations up top. They just got the ball out of my hands, and we didn’t make enough plays on the weak side.

“I’ve still got to find a way, even with double teams, to pick my spots, be more aggressive. Obviously, 10 shots is not going to cut it.”

Game 5: Frye, Dudley lead Suns past Blazers

The AP reports:

When the Phoenix Suns win in this playoff series, they win by a mile.

Frye, Dudley lead Suns past Portland

Channing Frye and Jared Dudley rediscovered their shooting touch in a 107-88 rout of Portland on Monday night that has the Suns one victory away from eliminating the Trail Blazers from the playoffs.

Frye scored 20 points and Dudley 19, the leaders of a Phoenix second unit that played a major role in putting the Suns up 3-2 in the best-of-seven series…

Amare Stoudemire scored 19, and Nash had 14 points and 10 assists for Phoenix.

Andre Miller scored 21, while LaMarcus Aldridge and Jerryd Bayless had 17 apiece for the Trail Blazers.

Portland All-Star Brandon Roy, in his second game back after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus just 10 days ago, drew three fouls in an ineffective 6 1/2 minutes in the first half. He finished with five points on 2-of-7 shooting in 19 minutes.

Game 4: Bucks shock Hawks 111-104 to even series

The Hawks a very good team — but they’re not great. During the regular season, the Bucks were playing close to the level the Hawks were before losing center Andrew Bogut to injury. Yet the Bucks are showing big-time pride and stepping up to put some scare into Atlanta.

The AP reports:

Bucks shock Hawks 111-104 to even series

Carlos Delfino scored 22 points with six 3-pointers and the Milwaukee Bucks pulled off their second straight playoff surprise, beating the Atlanta Hawks 111-104 Monday night to draw even in the first-round series.

Brandon Jennings scored 23 points and John Salmons added 22 for the Bucks, who survived a fourth-quarter surge led by Atlanta stars Joe Johnson and Josh Smith. Now the Hawks head home for Game 5, desperately needing a win to stave off a surprising challenge by a team missing its best player, injured center Andrew Bogut.

Johnson scored 29 points, reserve Jamal Crawford had 21, and Smith had 20 points and nine rebounds.

The Bucks finally started getting to the free throw line and the made the most of it, hitting 28 of 32.

Game 4: Magic beat Bobcats 99-90 to complete sweep

The Magic were expected to send the Bobcats home in four or five games, and they did just that.

The AP reports:

Magic beat Bobcats 99-90 to complete sweep

Vince Carter scored 21 points, Jameer Nelson added 18 and the Magic showcased their depth and pressure shot-making in a 99-90 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats on Monday night to complete a sweep of their first-round series.

Dwight Howard was held to six points in his fourth straight game in foul trouble, but the Magic never flinched to accomplish their first four-game sweep in franchise history.

Tyrus Thomas scored a career playoff-high 21 points for the Bobcats, whose focus will now almost immediately turn to nomadic coach Larry Brown’s future with the team.

Howard did grab 13 rebounds, but was limited to 23 minutes before fouling out for the second straight game…

Rashard Lewis scored 17 points, Matt Barnes added 14 and Orlando held Stephen Jackson to 2-of-11 shooting to make sure Charlotte would be the only team not to win a first-round game.

Robin Lopez still out another week

Phoenix Suns center Robin Lopez was seen today by specialist Dr. Christopher Huston of The Orthopedic Clinic Association (TOCA) in Phoenix.

Lopez, who has not played since March 26 due to an injured back, is progressing well and will continue to have his rehabilitation workload increased based on the evaluation of the Suns’ medical staff and on the condition that no pain or any other issues develop.

Lopez will be re-evaluated in one week.

The second-year player was the Suns’ first-round pick (15th overall) of the 2008 NBA Draft.  The 7-0, 255-pound center blossomed after being inserted into the Suns’ starting lineup on Jan. 18, helping to lead the Suns to a 22-9 (.710) record in his starts.  Lopez averaged 11.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 24.5 minutes as a starter in 2009-10.

For the season, the Stanford product posted career highs in points (8.4), rebounds (4.9), blocks (1.04) and minutes (19.3).  His 58.8-percent field-goal accuracy (171/291) would have ranked third in the NBA if he had reached the statistical minimum needed to qualify (min. 300 field goals made).

NBA fines Erick Dampier

Dallas Mavericks’ center Erick Dampier has been fined $35,000 for publicly criticizing game officials, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.

Dampier was fined for comments made to the media following the Mavericks’ 94-90 loss to the San Antonio Spurs in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference First Round on April 23.

More details tonight.

Former Bucks player Kevin Restani dies at 58

Former Milwaukee Bucks player Kevin Restani died Sunday night in San Francisco, California after returning to his home there from Milwaukee where he had participated over the weekend in the North American Association of Club Athletic Directors basketball tournament. Restani played on the Golden Masters team representing the Olympic Club of San Francisco.  He attended the Bucks-Atlanta playoff game Saturday night at Bradley Center.

Restani played over 300 games in five seasons  (l974-79) with the Bucks including a trip to the 1976 playoffs. He played under Head Coaches Larry Costello and Don Nelson and averaged 4.6 rebounds and 6.0 points per game with the Bucks.  Nicknamed “Big Bird” by then Bucks TV and radio play-by-play man Eddie Doucette, Kevin was an eight-year NBA veteran who played with the Kansas City Kings, San Antonio Spurs and Cleveland Cavaliers for a total of 550 career NBA games with four teams.  He played several seasons in Europe after his NBA career.

Among Bucks teammates during his tenure were Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bob Dandridge, Mickey Davis, Brian Winters, Junior Bridgeman and Quinn Buckner.

Restani was a University of San Francisco graduate who helped the Dons to two West Coast Athletic Conference titles. He was a third round 1974 draft pick of the Cleveland Cavaliers whose rights were purchased by the Bucks.  Kevin was a 1970 graduate of Riordan High School in San Francisco and believed to be the only alumnus to have played for any length of time in the NBA.  From 1995-97 Kevin spent three seasons as head coach of the Riordan varsity squad. His contributions to youth programs as coach and counselor were well known. He was born December 23, 1951 in San Francisco. Kevin is survived by his wife, Roberta. Funeral arrangements are pending.

Car hits Hawks team bus

Sekou Smith of the official NBA site reports:

A car smashed into the team bus while it was stopped at a light near the Bradley Center. Hawks VP of Public Relations Arthur Triche said that no one in the team’s traveling party was hurt. But they did have to exit the bus and either walk back or cab it back to the team hotel.

“We all got a jolt this morning and we didn’t need any coffee or anything else to get it,” Triche said by phone later. “But everyone is fine and we hope that the driver and whoever else was in the car are fine as well.”