Two more points

[JOzersky@aol.com]

I think people are reading too much calculation and machiavellian intrigue
into Birds and Gaston's actions.  I think if we ever can look back at this
and get the inside dope, it will turn out to be the usual combination of
communication gaps, opportunism, and crossed purposes as much as any master
plan.    Let's hope it all works out.

now touching on the lottery, consider the following scenarios:  in A) we get
Tim Duncan.  Assuming the standings stay the way they are now, figure  Battie
and Foyle, Van Horn and Mercer will go in the next four picks.  That will
leave us in position to take Billups with the sixth pick, or if we want to go
big... well if we want to go big we're shit out of luck.  I don't think you
can take Kelvin Cato with teh sixth pick.  You need to go with the best
available athlete.  Maybe you trade down.  Of course, if the Nuggets are as
in love with Billups as everybody seems to think, then we get Van
Horn/Mercer/Battie/Foyle, probably the latter.  Pretty good!  So A=Duncan and
Billups/Foyle (or one of the other stars)

Scenario B) has us losing out on Duncan.  (No!)  Let's say for the sake of
argument that we end up with three, two being likely taken by Vancouver.  We
get Battie/Foyle, whichever is better and/or left.  Then the fourth team (say
the Spurs) take  Van Horn or Mercer, whichever Vancouver doesn't take.  By
the sixth pick, we would be in a position to have, I would guess, either
Battie or Foyle, or one  of Van Horn or Mercer. 
B= [Battie and (Foyle or Van Horn or Mercer)] or [Foyle and (Battie or Van
Horn or Mercer)]

Both of these are pretty sweet scenarios.  Of course Dallas has to keep the
sixth pick, but I feel comfortable about the lottery having figured it this
way