VERTIGO! Player most in need of a trip to the Plumb Clinic

Hawks End of Season Awards:  Last night's sole playoff game was the Bulls dismantlement of the Hawks in Game 6, which ended the Hawks up and down season.  As I have already discussed how the Hawks are like a surly teenager (see the May 7 entry), I found myself imagining that like a youth soccer team, the Hawks would get together for an end of season pizza party to hand out awards of the "good sportsmanship" variety.  Here are four suggestions:

--Player Most Likely to End up as Bond Villian: Zaza Pachulia
--Most Optimistic in the Face of All Compelling Counter-Evidence: Josh Smith and his jump shot.
--Best Impersonation of Mrs. Doubtfire: Hubie Brown (making a guest appearance) for clucking in approval whenever the Hawks executed their offense competently.
--I Told You So, Larry Drew: Jeff Teague  

Signs that a Game Six playoff game has lost its steam:  Hubie Brown and Mike Tirico spending several minutes discussing Ted Turner's career midway through the fourth quarter of a Hawks-Bulls close out game.  Illustrative quote: "He (Turner's father) had the biggest billboard business in the Southeast."  Not incidentally, what sparked the conversation was Turner walking out of the arena.

VERTIGO! Player most in need of a trip to the Plumb Clinic: Z-Dog (who barely jumps at the best of times) showing the side effects of a 57 minute Game 4 by refusing to create any space between his feet and the floor.  See http://the-op.com/media/image2.php?oid=373&i=6058

Fresh Hope That the Evil Miami Heat will not March Inexorably to the NBA Championship:  Boozer 23-10-5, Deng 13-5-5-5, Noah 11-6, Gibson 10-4, Asik 5-3-2. 

Z-Dog Shirt Watch:  Today's likelihood of a Memphis Grizz championship (and Zach Randolph shirts for both Charlie and Aubrey, paid for out of winnings from the bet): 12 percent.