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Show In,- III! I) Ml Un III K M IV IhiUliHin.iW nml. IVvn. iww I 'lull. Similnv. Jimp 2. PRO SPORTS -w- Nets make believer of ' gjajwt-1 1,111 r'o .1 ' 1 Jazz keep watch on former Ute Mot they feel pretty good about making a successful run at Miller, who enjoyed his live years' in Utah. And the source BASKETBALL said the Jaw woold have no qualms about paying him the maximum. If Miller, who declined to comment on the possibility of playing for the Jazz, signed an offer sheet with Utah for the maximum, it would be for slightly less than he could get from the Cnvs. Using the most recent cap r number, the salary .would he $ 10.fi million for each deal, buf ' Miller would get 12.5 percent faises from the Cnvs and 10 percent, raises if he signed with another team. And deal from he could get a seven-yea- r t he Cavs, but contract just a with another team. .' The Jazz could tender Miller a con- City. CUIUS TOM VSSON Alinw IVi'iunn timii!ii O'Brien - CliKVKMNO Its not Miller Time very often at bars in Mormon-dominateUtah! Mot thc'.ht. wouldn't mind seeing it be Miller Time at , d Tlic AkmhIhIihI " en I'rm HOHTON Before tiH i'1''1 the dtMuils of how tin' New .letsev Nets went from 110 dntl lottery to the finuls In, just one your, n few pnrting words from Hip conch who begun his sum mer vneiHlnn Hnturdity, thorn When rending words, try to remember thnt Huston couch dim D'Hrien Is man who chooses his words curefullv. "I think th'py will bring (hp NHA eliiimnltmship buck Must, They re thnt good of rt bitslvetbnll tenm," OHrien suid. "1 think the West Is In for it rude " X delv-- i 1 11 ' Savor the moment: Keith Van Horn celebrates the Nets' Game 6 victory. nwok-euing.- underdog the Nets should hp . iirtlitme 1 ngnlnsl. the l.nkers or Kings, keep In mind the comments of thp Celtics' hcitd coach. Whut whs clear to O'Hrlen nnd nnyone else who. watched the Kastern Conference finals wits thnt the Nets have too much talent rind too many offensive options to he written off as an Hiitumatle runner-up- , "Nobody's going to give us a chance, dason Kidd said. While the Kings and Lakers prepared for (lame 7 of the .rWeslerrj (lonferpnee finals Nunday, the Nets were enjoying a day of sunshine hack home In the Oar den State. ' New Jersey was considered fllberia Mast In the NHA for many,1 many years, It's proximity to the bright lights of New York city measured in two ways; 8 miles as the crow (lies, but light years away In terms of how the brightly the spotlight shines, A trade to the Nets was ' first-yea- six-ye- once-agele- " Memo to the oddsiiiitkers in Vegns: When determining PHiH'tly how much of nn the Delta Center. A source Hose to the sit oat ion said the Jaw, whieh should have plenty of money under the salary cap next summer, Is already earmarking big bucks to moke a run at Cavaliers point guard Andre Miller, scheduled to be a restricted free agent. Much a scenario would not just throw a monkey wrench, but a tool box, into the thinking of Cnvs owner Cordon (5und..who recently said be wasn't sure if any other team would be able to offer Miller the maximum. Miller, who played at the University of Utah, would be a perfect fit for the Jazz. He could replace the John Htockton, 40, who is expected play one more season, Utah had a payroll last season of $54.3 million, about $12 million higher thnn the salary cap of $4'2.fiM. lUit the Jazz figure to he way under the cap next summer. Htockton will be oil' the books after making $H. 5 million next season, and Karl Midline's contract expires After, he earns $ IJ.il million. Malone is likely to move to another team or sign a deal wit h the Jazz for much less. liven with all the cap room, Jazz; officials are realistic enough to know that they aren't about to luretTim Duncan or Jason Kidd, next summer's two biggest free agents, to. Halt Lake ROUNDUP viewed as a trip to the dentist, except that, the Novocain never wore off at the Meadowlnnds. The arena was usually at least the logo and uniforms were as bland as the nickname, the local apathy was so prevalent that the Nets somewhere were mixed among the MetroStnrs and the Brooklyn Cyclones In the half-empt- local pecking order. "There's a history, but 1 wanted to find out on my own," Kldd said. "The turn- pike and the airport doesn't give New Jersey its due." . I NBA had a good night, too. The takers forced a decisive seventh game in the NBA Western Conference finals with , a 106-10victory in Game 6 over the Sacramento Kings, The game recorded a 13.9 overnight rating and 24 share, according to Nielsen Media Research, an 82 percent gain over the comparable game last year when Philadelphia played Milwaukee in the Eastern finals. It was NBC's best postseason overnight rating, excluding the NBA. finals, since Game 1 of the 2000 Western Conference finals. of e e $2.5 million. Anil Miller at least would give the team a bargaining chip in a if St. Vincent- possible St. Mary star LeMron James declares for the draft next season and doesn't end up with the Cnvs. The chances of Miller remaining with the Cavs for the long term v appear, less likely each day. Miller, whom the Cavs have been hoping , would take less money for the good of the tenm. told the Honeon Journal V Inst week hat he deserves the maxiI 1 ' mum. The Cnvs are wary of paying Miller the maximum because ihvy would prefer not to have two players eating up more than half their salary cap. The Cavs already have center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, whose $71 million deolexpiros in 2005. Gund, in a May 0 news conference, didn't seem too concerned about other teams throwing money next summer at Miller. "I don't know who else will be able to pay him the max. There may not be another team," he said. It only takes oiw team to do it. And the word out of Utah is the Jazz, are waiting to make an oiler. six-yea- r, series when Mike Hibby's touched O'Neal. The Lakers expect anothjumper won flame 5, and it only got better when er huge game from O'Neal, Hhaquijle O'Neal played a who overenme the multigame on tude of injuries that have Friday night to save the plagued him all year to Lakers' season. record 41 points and 17 It also has been a conrebounds in flame fi. "If you look at the history tentious series, with everyof the game, any player that thing from hotel room servgames for ice food to the officiating has more than two champiopen to critique. The Lakers onships, they've won them people to watch." The. series the first complained that O'Neal each a different way." conference final wasn't getting the respect O'Neal said. "We play well became a he deserved while in 2!) years up in that building. We just lolden State classic when won three of four have to go and play hard, Koberl lorry hit his games midway through the play aggressive. If we do in (lame series and in flame ti, the that, then we should be fine. 4. It became one of the Kings were whistled for a The pressure's on them. The NUA's best recent playoff foul nearly every time they pressure is not om us." ing what they're seeing, and hat's good for basketball that's good for all these kids watching on TV like I used to," Chris Webber said. "1 think It's. great for the sport. Our sport is showcasing its young talent and older talent. (The series has) some great gunsling-ing- , t Continued from RATINGS UP: the New Mrsey Nets and Los Angeles Lahem weren't the only-one- s who won big Friday Might. NBC tract worth $80 million over six years, The Cavs, who are not keen on paying Miller the maximum, would nave 15 days to match it or they would lose him. Unl the source said Jazz 'officials wouldn't expect it to get that far. They anticipate the Cavs, if they knew Utah was about to tender Miller an oiler sheet, might work out so they would not a end up with nothing. Of course, all this could be moot if Miller is traded this summer. The Cavs will listen if Chicago, which has the No. 2 selection in the draft (rend: Jay Williams), dangles that pick. One advantage, in dealing Miller .this summer is the Cavs wouldn't have to do it under duress. If Miller is on t he verge of signing an offer sheet for the maximum next summer, the. Cavs might end up having to take thai .some players in a they really don't want.. If the Cnvs bang on to Miller, he he a bargain next season at HI the NHA Kinnls on Wednesday night, The series has been a fascinating clash of styles, with the Kings' consummate team play and the Lakers' unrivaled star power essentially battling to a draw. Sacramento has outplayed Los Angeles for long stretches, but the Lakers' will and championship wiles have generated just as many victories, "I know the fans are lov . career-definin- g I'epto-Hism- Sncrn-ment- o ( 1 game-winnin- g V ! IT 'it'"' : ',h, X) I v'' " 4 tMli, MN(,Mjhe . Awicmled hoi Odalle greeting, Colorado's Patrick Roy (33) and Detroit's Dominik Hasek shake hands after the Pted Wings' victory In Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, 7-- 0 For Wings, it's Cup or bust camp, pressure has been DKf'KOlf down, (tm Twelve Ui go, That was the Detroit Ked tis. ...i...... l ..ft:... it .. TTiiigs- minospi aiier iney I enmirau'O Miorauo to. I I 4 4 . advance to the Stanley Cup '.finals,, where ihpy will need four victories over ('arolina Ui tmtU t heir ultimaf goal. If Detroit fails to win the Stanley ('up, its season will he regarded tin failure by the lit'd Wings and fheir fans. "Nobody is going to remember who comes in second," said 'Comas flofrn-s- f rom, who has seven play-goals; "'fbis is nothing. We have im go all, the. way Hrpii Moll was wearing n th read "1 "Nothfie teiwrtWM ing number of wins needed Ui win the Stanley Cup. "That's what its all about" I foil said. "That's what it takes itt get there." Since 7 lay 1 in training AnnH STANLEY CUP heaped on Detroit's collection of future Hall of Turners Ui win the Stanley Cup. The Ked Wings, who welcomed a Cup-or-bu- st Hundreds of reasons to get Checking That Pays. FINALS men- tality, exceeded expectations during the, regular season by earning at 110 points, 15 more than runner-up The Check Card that pays you cash back! timUm, lied Wings owner Mike Hitch will not be ableto let out a sigh of relief unless m i iitti tea m gets his Hurricanes. the past A glance at the betting lines shows oddsmakers believe Detroit will hoist the Cup easily, A gambler in Las Vegas picking Detroit to win the series would have Ui wager im Ui win it UK), while a W) bet on the Hurricanes would turn into hU) if they pull off the shocking tifet. "i think it's goring to be a tigtfr series than people expect," Colorado captain Joe Sakk said, n'fi Uh-- 1 ' rf betitM af Carofiha, 6 p.m., cash back A tall or visit Start earning cash back today with Choking That Pays from U.S. Bank. us af usbank.com. tmtMa at btftoit, ' lh.t,y IvmH mjemii 1 ... timmmi f Over (.becking I h,i I'av is available with any U.S. Bank personal checking account, 'hAign up, stop by any U.S. Bank branch, Carolina af Detroit, G p.m. Ttwftdaf Carolina af Detroit, 6 p m. Saturday OtM af tHMft. 6 ( m turn 10 betiiM at Carofirra, 6 p.m. lum 13 Cmftfia 91 Detrort, 6pm., mitof hmii U,$. Bank Check Card and tarn up to you me if, the more you get back year, that could be hundred, of dollar ynr e'' 71ic more DttROfT VS. CAROLINA (Bsf ff ) & p.m., thult'w ,m II,,,),,,, t,r ,,l,lr,l ,,,,my I; ,h,m, mml :lm, ,,,,,(W, , vlfll mMll.H.linh ,,h . |