League Rumor Board

"Associated Press reported that O'Neal had strained his calf muscle in Houston! The Lakers announced that he would miss the home-court G5!"

"Kobe had secured the Lakers' third victory in Houston with a mythical game-winner, but with O'Neal unable to play in G5 at this moment, would this become the turning point of the series?"

"Pippen claimed that he had found a way to stop Kobe! He publicly declared Kobe a softie and said he would smother Kobe the hard-man way!"

"Houston reported that after Kobe hit the game-winner, Hakeem Olajuwon remained in the locker room for a long time, unwilling to leave the arena."

"Hundreds of Houston fans wept bitterly after the game! Kobe's game-winner had reduced them to tears."

"Barkley rudely refused interviews after the game and knocked a reporter's camera to the ground."

"Facing the combined defensive coverage of Michael Jordan and Grant Hill, Iverson had contributed only 17, 23, and 20 points in G1, G2, and G3. The Philadelphia 76ers had lost three straight games. They had been backed into a corner! Would the Philadelphia 76ers become the only team swept in this year's conference semifinals?"

"Iverson had averaged 34.7 points in the previous round! Yet against the Charlotte Hornets' terrifying perimeter defense, Iverson had not scored more than 25 points in a single game. This was the greatness of the 73-win Charlotte Hornets, an elite team!"

"Grant Hill put up a massive 35+17+16 triple-double in G3! He had been hailed as the most complete player in the entire league! North Carolina fans had once again witnessed the glory of the NCAA's past."

"Michael Jordan had casually averaged 28 points per game. Jordan's playoff shooting percentage this year was as high as 53%! When he wanted to score, almost no one could stop him!"

"Stockton hit