Jeff Mcinnis

NBA Commissioner David Stern submitted an affidavit Thursday supporting the efforts by the majority of the Atlanta Hawk owners to remove Steve Belkin as the team's NBA governor. The majority of the Atlanta Spirit LLC group has requested that Belkin be replaced with Michael Gearon Jr., as NBA governor, the member of the group who must sign off on all trades.

After showing a stale offense in a recent 1-5 trip, the Clippers found points easy to come by in Monday's 92-80 victory over Orlando. Coach Alvin Gentry did not make any wholesale changes but one new wrinkle helped. He instructed point guards Jeff McInnis and Keyon Dooling to go to the basket as an early option, giving the Clippers more room to work. With teams pressuring Clipper point guards all over the floor, Gentry wants his team to pick up the pace by taking the ball to the rim.

The Clippers have lost four of their last five games and, although it's difficult to figure out precisely what's wrong, they do realize they haven't been at their best recently. Have they simply run out of gas? "We haven't been in sync the last couple of games," Jeff McInnis said after the Clippers' 105-92 loss Saturday to the Utah Jazz.

After taking some good-natured ribbing over his alma mater's success earlier in the day, Tim Duncan went right to work against the Portland Trail Blazers. Duncan had 26 points and 10 rebounds for his league-leading 23rd double-double this season, and the San Antonio Spurs extended their winning streak to 10 games with a 101-91 victory Saturday night over the Trail Blazers.

All signs point toward Andre Miller becoming a Denver Nugget at 8:59 PDT tonight, with the Clippers content to let expire a league-mandated 15-day deadline to match a $51-million contract over the next six seasons. The Clippers' expected inaction on Miller, after matching offers from the Miami Heat for Elton Brand and from the Utah Jazz for Corey Maggette this month, would mean the team would have its third starting point guard in as many seasons.

One problem that has nagged the Clippers throughout the season has been their play execution late in games. That was evident Saturday in their 123-120 double-overtime victory over Portland when twice the Clippers failed to follow Coach Alvin Gentry's plan to foul the Trail Blazers before they were able to launch score-tying three-point shots at the end of regulation and first overtime. "We were supposed to make a foul twice," Gentry said.

LeBron James was tired of losing on the road, so the 19-year-old superstar gave the Cleveland Cavaliers exactly what they needed -- everything. "Whatever we needed, he provided tonight," Coach Paul Silas said. "He fuels us. As LeBron goes, so we go. He just wouldn't let us lose." James had 40 points, nine rebounds and seven assists to help the Cavaliers defeat the Atlanta Hawks, 111-102, Tuesday night for their third victory in four games.

North Carolina will go into Saturday's semifinal game against Arkansas nursing some bumps and bruises. Coach Dean Smith read an impromptu report on the injuries on Tuesday. "Donald Williams, sprained left ankle, status unknown, hasn't seen him yet today," Smith read. "Jeff McInnis, pulled groin muscle, not any better than yesterday. "Rasheed Wallace, sprained ankle, improved over yesterday. Pierce Landry sprained right wrist, slightly improved over yesterday but wrist is still tender."

Clipper guard Corey Maggette drove toward the basket early in the third quarter Tuesday, drew a foul and hit the floor with a thud that reverberated around America West Arena. The Clippers gasped. Maggette, already nursing a sore knee, made one of two free throws, then made a quick exit. He suffered a hip pointer and a bruised elbow from his crash landing and did not play again in the Clippers' 96-92 victory over the Phoenix Suns. Maggette joined an expanding list of wounded Clippers.