Hughes ready and willing
Larry Hughes walked off the practice floor Saturday dripping with sweat and itching to play.
He’ll get his chance in Game 7.
Cleveland’s guard, who returned to the club Friday after missing three games in the Detroit series following the death of his younger brother, is expected to play in today’s decisive game at The Palace in Auburn Hills, Mich.
Hughes dressed for Game 6 but didn’t see any action in Cleveland’s 84-82 loss. Hughes’ presence, however, was an emotional lift for the Cavs, who traveled to St. Louis to attend Justin Hughes’ funeral Tuesday.
Now, Hughes is hoping to give his team a boost on the court.
“Whatever the team needs, I’m here,” said Hughes, who needed surgery on his right middle finger during the season and missed 45 games. “They’ve been playing so well winning games while I was at home. But I just want to come in and support those guys like they supported me. If I’m needed to take a foul, inbounds the ball or play defense on the inbounds play, that’s what I’m willing to do.”
Cavaliers coach Mike Brown said the plans to play Hughes were unfinished.
“It’s a game-time decision,” he said. “I’m still exploring things with the coaches. There is a decent chance that I’ll play him, but when and how long I don’t know yet.”
Hughes came back to the Cavaliers a week after his brother died. Justin Hughes, 20, battled heart problems his entire life and underwent a transplant in 1997.
Rivalry heats up
Dallas and San Antonio already were playing a memorable series. Then Jason Terry’s fist landed below Michael Finley’s belt.
Now, we might be witnessing the start of the NBA’s newest rivalry.
Controversy and bad blood were about the only things missing from this two-week run of great games between great teams that happen to be in-state rivals.
Well, there was one more thing, but that was taken care of in Game 6, with Terry suspended and Finley making the key plays down the stretch of a 91-86 victory by the Spurs.
The final ingredient: Game 7, Monday night in San Antonio.
“We need intense, bloodthirsty, Red Sox-Yankees rivalries in this league,” said Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, who has riled up both sides.
“People who work side by side say, ‘Oh, I hate (your team). Let’s go get a beer and we’ll scream about it at the bar.’ … This type of series leads to those things.”
Thomas might play
The Phoenix Suns might have center Kurt Thomas available for spot duty off the bench against the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night.
Thomas has not played since breaking his right foot against Boston on Feb. 22. He went through 2-on-2 drills and was to participate in a full scrimmage today, coach Mike D’Antoni said.
The Suns certainly could use another big man against the Clippers in Game 7 of their Western Conference semifinal series.
“Can we get him back on Monday at this level, this quick? I think it’s very difficult,” D’Antoni said. “We’ll see how he scrimmages tomorrow.”
“It feels good,” Thomas said.