Portland teams that shrunk so dramatically with each disappointment and never fulfilled their championship potential. What will make the next two months so fascinating is that Riley is going to rip up the Heat and virtually start over. It'll be Alonzo Mourning and a lot of different faces next season. And the New York Knicks, after hanging Latrell Sprewell out to dry by not committing to him next season, will also try to change the team on the fly. Personally, I think Thomas is going to be a lot like his childhood buddy Rivers.
TV has something to do with it.
He knows virtually every player in the league. Word is, he wants veterans Reggie Miller and Mark Jackson back, but that he's dying to play youngsters Jonathan Bender and Al Harrington. And Thomas wants to play up-tempo, force the issue on defense, make big guys like Shaq come out and guard quicker centers who can shoot. In other words, Thomas is going to mix it up, like Doc, and do something other than run isolation plays like an increasing number of coaches. I can't wait to see what the Pacers are going to look like.