Bearable: Zach Randolph has been a straight mauler in these playoffs, averaging 18.9 points and 8.8 rebounds. The Memphis Grizzlies advanced to their first-ever Western Conference finals behind the strong play of ZACH RANDOLPH (28 points, 14 rebounds), TONY ALLEN (11 points) and MIKE CONLEY (13 points, 11 assists) as KEVIN DURANT and defending West champs Oklahoma City Thunder were dethroned, 88-84 Wednesday night in OKC… Strong...

Box and one: Cole’s energy off the bench adds to an already lethal Miami attack giving the Heat yet another option. Whatever plans the Chicago Bulls had on extending their series with the Heat went by the boards Wednesday night in Miami as second-year guard NORRIS COLE ignited a late Heat surge with this left-handed stuff down Main street… Cole really stepped up in this series against the Bulls, averaging double figures and...

Home drubbing: The Knicks were done in by New York native Stephenson, who contributed 13 pts. and 7 rebs. The Indiana Pacers are an extremely effective unit at home especially when GEORGE HILL is contributing offensively. The New York Knicks found that out the hard way on Tuesday after Hill scored 26 points in Indy’s 93-82 victory, staking the Pacers to a commanding 3-1 series...

Control in the series was up for grabs in Chicago Friday. LeBron and the Heat battled valiantly and grabbed it. In what was a highly physical affair, the Miami Heat withstood the Bulls rough stampede in Chicago that included 3 technical fouls and one ejection to win Game 3, 104-94 and grab a 2-1 lead in their best-of-seven Eastern semi-final series… Nate Robinson...

Believe-a-BULL: This digital billboard in Chicago demonstrates exactly how Chicagoans feel about their Bulls. This may be jumping the gun a bit but folks in Chicago are mad bullish about their Bulls. A billboard overlooking Edens Expressway features Bulls big JOAKIM NOAH extinguishing LEBRON JAMES with a fire extinguisher… Chicago holds a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semis going into Wednesday night’s Game...

Noah says its been a roller-coaster season but he is riding high after gutsy Game 7 performance in Brooklyn. On Saturday, we thought JOAKIM NOAH may have been reaching too much in predicting a Game 7 win on the road at the Brooklyn Nets primarily because the Chicago Bulls were a banged up team missing key players. Well, Noah backed up his prediction and the Bulls players that were available to play contributed mightily in advancing Chicago...

Noah may have taken too many shots to the head thinking his beat-up Bulls can win Game 7 in Brooklyn Saturday. Chicago Bulls big JOAKIM NOAH is a rather emotional fella. He also believes in his troops despite his Bulls being a battered and beat-up bunch. But the 6-foot-11 power forward/center may have gotten ahead of himself after losing Game 6 when he boldly guaranteed victory Saturday night in Brooklyn in Game 7… Video courtesy:...

Z-Bowed: Randolph bullied and beat up Griffin for six grueling games, rarely allowing him to play above the rim. The Sumo wrestling match between ZACH “Z-BO” RANDOLPH and BLAKE “KIA” GRIFFIN reached a head (or a neck depending on how you wanna look at it) Friday night in Memphis as the Grizzlies extinguished the Clippers from the playoffs with an ejection-marred 118-105 Game 6 victory… Randolph, who had been...

Harden said he slept all day to have enough energy to battle his former teammates in Game 5. It showed big time. Playing in way-too-familiar surroundings, JAMES HARDEN scored 31 points, including 7-for-9 from beyond the arc, and pulled down 8 rebounds to lead the Houston Rockets to a 107-100 Game 5 victory over the Thunder at OKC… Every time the Thunder tried to rally, Harden was there to extinguish the threat with strong...

The Smith brothers show up for Game 5 wearing all black but it was a NYK second-round berth that got blacked out. To signify the supposed “funeral” awaiting the Boston Celtics at Madison Square Garden, the New York Knicks showed up for Game 5 wearing all black but it was the Knicks that were the stiffs as the Celtics stunned New York, 92-86 to force Game 6 back in...