Miami Heat

MINNEAPOLIS - Dave Joerger is the lead assistant for coach Lionel Hollins with the Memphis Grizzlies. They open play in the Western Conference finals on Sunday in San Antonio.

CHICAGO - Fresh on the job, Flip Saunders, the Minnesota Timberwolves' new president of basketball operations, worked the room when NBA executives, coaches, scouts and 60 prospects in the June draft gathered in Chicago for three days last week.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The Charlotte Bobcats are on their way to becoming the Charlotte Hornets.

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The pain and frustration of last year’s playoffs are now just a distant memory for Chris Bosh. ‘He is our most important player for a reason,’ coach Erik Spoelstra said.

Heat players have been steadfastly neutral in claiming no preference as they waited for Indiana and New York to figure out which would play the underdog in the NBA’s upcoming Eastern Conference finals. Confident champions do not deign to worry about who’s next; they leave the worrying to opponents. The lion who runs the jungle does not much care if he is feasting on zebra or antelope, after all.

Dwyane Wade watched Kevin Durant against Memphis, and it was like watching a flailing man drown, wave after wave crashing upon him until he had no breath to give. Durant averaged 29 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists per game in the series that ended his season. Those were not merely better than the averages Durant posted in this, the best regular season of his young life. Those were not merely better averages than the ones that just won LeBron James his fourth NBA MVP award. Those were better averages than the ones that represent Michael Jordan’s entire career. But Durant’s season is over now, and Wade watched it happen through what felt like a rearview mirror.

Two young employees at Tibco Software Inc. recently challenged the head of the company to a pull-up contest, and Vivek Ranadive didn't hesitate to accept.

Dwyane Wade would have been in Chicago for a Heat playoff game Friday night if he hadn't helped eliminate the Bulls with a big fourth quarter two nights early.

Trey Burke thought he had it all.