By Sam Amico

FINALS TO FORGET?

When it comes to the NBA Finals, Minneapolis Star-Tribune columnist Steve Aschburner may have said it best.

"To avid basketball fans paying attention for the past month, the 2002 NBA Finals figures to be the drive home after the goodnight kiss," Aschburner wrote.

In other words, no way would the Finals live up to the spectacular series that took place between the Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings in the Western Conference championship.

And it hasn't -- not even close (and the ratings say as much).

The New Jersey Nets have been undermanned, overwhelmed, and just plain scared. They didn't even make the playoffs last season, and it shows.

Meanwhile, all the Lakers are showing is that they've won this thing a couple of times. How else do you explain the dominance of not just Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, but of the Laker role players who were absent during the series against the Kings?

This isn't intended to trash the Nets. If anything, they proved EVERYBODY wrong. Nobody picked them to win even the Atlantic Division -- yet the Nets ran away with the Eastern Conference's best record.

Then they were expected to fold in the playoffs, as most experts picked Charlotte, Boston, or just about anyone besides to New Jersey to reach the Finals.

But Jason Kidd and Company brought back a form of basketball that's exciting to watch, and more importantly, a form of basketball that's effective. So the Nets reaching the Finals is no fluke.

Unfortunately, they didn't prove much once they got there, making this the most boring championship series since the Detroit Pistons swept Magic Johnson's Lakers in 1989.

Of course, it's only boring if you're a casual fan. If you're wacky like me ... well, it's been lots of fun to watch these Lakers at the top of their game.

With Shaq suffering from all sorts of injuries, Phil Jackson a year or so from retirement, and the rest of the league catching up, this could be the Lakers' last title for a while.

Considering all of that, maybe this Finals does mean something. Maybe it's a great song playing on the radio during that drive home.

OFFICIAL STATEMENTS

NBA officiating came under heavy fire following the Kings-Lakers series. There have been rationalizations and rages, accusations and hints of conspiracy.

Most of the time, the national media blows off this type of talk. But this year, everyone from Sam Smith of the Chicago Tribune to Stephen A. Smith of the Philadelphia Inquirer wrote columns blasting the refs.

One of the best columns was written by no less than ESPN's David Aldridge, and you can check it out by clicking on this link:

http://espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2002/columns/aldridge_david/1389713.html

My opinion? I really don't think that the NBA or the officials cheat. Do I think the league's brass prefers to have a large-market team in the Finals? Absolutely.

I am a little troubled that since 1980, New York, Chicago or Los Angeles have played in all but three Finals. That's the nation's three largest markets, and the fact that one ALWAYS seems to be on the league's biggest stage ... well, it does seem a little fishy.

At the same time, we should remember that the best athletes often flock to the big cities. Even Shaq admitted he went to LA to help his acting and rapping careers (neither of which seem to be picking up much steam).

So, is the NBA fixing the Finals? Nah. Could the officiating afford to be improved? No doubt.

RULES RECAP

The NBA gets an A-plus on the rules it put into place before the season. That includes the idea of allowing zone defenses and especially, permitting teams just eight seconds to get the ball past halfcourt.

The fact that teams could play a zone came very close to eliminating isolation plays. That's a great thing, as watching an all-star pound the ball into the floor while waiting for his teammates to move out of the way isn't exactly must-see basketball.

The new rules placed an emphasis on ball movement, shooting, and speed, and if you ask me, made the playoffs that much more fun to watch.

Most NBA coaches didn't seem to be real thrilled with the changes at first, but they proved to be very underrated.

RILEY STAYING PUT

Miami Heat coach Pat Riley told the Miami Herald that he plans to coach at least three more years, and that the team plans to hold on to the 10th pick in the draft.

Riley also said Miami would be willing to exceed the salary cap -- and pay the dreaded luxury tax -- should the right veteran free agent become available.

Think the man plans on getting back to the Finals? I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if he did.

NUGGET NEWS

Donnie Nelson, Clyde Drexler, John MacLeod and Jim Harrick are all reportedly in the running to become the next head coach of the Denver Nuggets.

The Nuggets are also said to be considering Nets assistant Eddie Jordan, Milwaukee assistant Terry Stotts, and interim coach Mike Evans.

But I have to agree with The Sporting News' Sean Deveney, who suggests that the Nuggets should consider Alex English.

Why not English? He's one of the few basketball legends in Denver and he wants the job.

Besides, he coached in the NBDL last season, and this would the perfect opportunity for the NBA to get some real use out of its minor league.

Any of the current candidates would be a good choice, but English would be the best.

NBA DRAFT NEWS

Speaking of the Nuggets, they sent 10 people to scout the pre-draft camp in Chicago. TEN! It's safe to assume this is a team that's serious about improving.

At any rate, two words were often used by scouts and general managers to describe this year's Chicago camp -- "extremely" and "disappointing." This could be the first time that the Chicago camp has failed to produce a first-round pick.

Meanwhile, I have just one question about the camp -- why on earth wasn't Maryland's Juan Dixon there?! His status for the draft is more in question than just about anyone else's, so why skip camp?

It appears that Dixon is another young athlete who got some bad advice.

MAILMAN A NET?

The Journal News in White Plains, N.Y., reports that the Nets will try to trade for Utah Jazz all-star forward Karl Malone this summer. The package the Nets are expected to put together includes Keith Van Horn and Aaron Williams.

The story was written by columnist Ian O'Connor, who cited "a source close to (Nets) team ownership."

Don't worry, I've never heard of the Journal News either. Still, when asked about the possibility of the trade, Nets president Rod Thorn didn't deny the rumor. He just said the Nets will be looking to make a few moves to improve during the offseason, and pretty much left it at that.

Interesting stuff.

RISING SUNS

Here is my response to the e-mail from David Fine, who asked, "How come you never write about the Phoenix Suns? Don't you think they'll be any good?"

Actually, David, I like the team the Suns have assembled -- especially the very underrated acquisition of rookie Joe Johnson.

And despite popular opinion, I think Stephon Marbury knows how to win, and will prove as much very soon. Marbury is a lot like Allen Iverson, in that Marbury is a guard with a tough attitude who only wants a title. Plus, I just love watching Marbury play.

There's also Shawn Marion, another guy who you want on your side.

If the Suns can get one more player to produce consistently, I think their playoff absence will be short-lived. My guess is they will be back as soon as next season.

CAVALIER CONCLUSION

After mentioning Tom Tolbert's comments about the Cleveland Cavaliers a few weeks ago ("They're a crummy franchise"), the e-mails from Cavs fans have been pouring in -- many of which have offered support for Tolbert.

I've printed some of the nicer ones, and read all of them. But now it's my turn

First of all, the Cavs are not a crummy franchise. They were good in the early 1990s, and now they're not good. That's just the way it works in the NBA, and look no further than Chicago for proof. Teams that are good eventually become bad. Then they get good again.

To me, Tolbert was saying that the Cavs are crummy because they don't care. If so, he's wrong. The team does care about its fans, and believe it or not, the Cavs really like point guard Andre Miller.

When Gordon Gund said they didn't want to pay Miller the maximum, he probably meant that they didn't want to pay Miller the maximum if they didn't have to -- meaning, if nobody else is willing to give Andre the biggest contract, why should they? Especially when the team can't get to the playoffs.

I could be wrong, of course. That may not be what Gund meant at all.

But Cavs fans should know that the front office cares about them, and listens to what they have to say. The Cavs also care about winning, and while it may not seem like they're close to the playoffs, they are.

All it will take is a quality draft pick and another solid veteran. And that doesn't sound too crummy to me.

BOOK COMING OUT

Just wanted to let you know that my book, "A Basketball Summer: The Pro Game as its Played in the Offseason" will be released this week, and I will soon provide updates on how to purchase it through the newsletter.

The book shows how NBA teams prepare for the draft, and how they go about signing free agents during the summer. It is told mostly through the words of general managers such as Pete Babcock of Atlanta, Chris Wallace of Boston, and Carroll Dawson of Houston, all of whom seemed excited to talk with me about their jobs.

Other NBA types such as Dick Van Arsdale, Wally Walker and Mike D'Antoni are also included in the book, as D'Antoni talks openly about his 50 games as coach of the Nuggets -- and about Dan Issel, the man who fired him.

Finally, I will be sending you excerpts from the book within the next week, and the week leading up to the draft (it's the "draft special" I promised in earlier newsletters).

And don't worry. I will be begging you to buy the book on a regular basis.

SAM'S SLAMS

Is it just me, or does the Portland Trail Blazers' new secondary logo look like it belongs on the cover of a 1970s Aerosmith album? ... NBA commissioner David Stern says the league will probably use replay to determine last-second shots at the end of halftime and games. Great idea. But may as well include the first and third quarters, too. ... Thanks to everyone who e-mailed suggestions for the Hornets' name change. Unfortunately, the team has decided to stick with the Hornets for its first season in New Orleans. Isn't this the same franchise that's moving because ownership was out of touch with its fans in Charlotte? Oh well. ... I've received a ton of e-mails asking if the NBA and AOL have started, or are going to start, a TV station that will broadcast NBA games next season. If anyone in the NBA can answer this (even off the record), please let us know. ... And, yes, I'll be answering your draft questions in the next newsletter. Apparently, I'm not the only one who gets way too excited at this time of year.

CONTACT ME

E-mail questions and comments to me at amicoreport@hotmail.com. I will try to answer questions in the newsletter, but you must include your full name.

HAVE A GREAT DAY!