Adrian’s thoughts on why Mike D’Antoni stepped down as Knicks coach: “He was getting sick of dealing with Carmelo Anthony.”

Topics: Mike D’Antoni stepping down | D’Antoni getting sick of dealing with Carmelo Anthony | Mike Woodson will take over as interim coach | It’s the locker room vs. Carmelo | The guys are sick of Anthony | The franchise isn’t trading Melo | The Knicks will go big game hunting for their next coach and hope he’s the savior | Thinks John Calipari is absolutely interested in the Knicks job | Phil Jackson | Carmelo Anthony is absolutely on an island by himself in that locker room |

Adrian’s take on George Karl: “He’s really one of the elite coaches of his generation.”

Topics: The New York Knicks problems | James Dolan giving Denver everything they wanted for Carmelo Anthony | The Knicks gutting their team for Carmelo | Anthony and Amare Stoudemire don’t complement each other | The Knicks are poorly constructed | Baron Davis is not going to be the Knicks savior | George Karl | Wilson Chandler can come back to the Nuggets in March | Danilo Gallinari | Phil Jackson | Phil would only come back for a paycheck | The Lakers struggling in their new offense | Mike Brown has put an emphasis on the defense | LeBron James | Don’t know if James has changed his game | The Miami Heat | LeBron in the 4th quarter this year | Dwight Howard | Howard trade requests | I don’t know if Orlando can win a championship this year | Dwight and Jameer Nelson’s relationship |

Adrian’s thoughts on David Stern killing the Chris Paul to the Los Angeles Lakers trade: “In the context of fairness it was wrong, but I’m not sure it was illegal.”

Topics: Yesterday was surreal | David Stern killing the Chris Paul trade to the Los Angeles Lakers | Stern has done a lot of damage by not allowing that trade to go through | The NBA owning the New Orleans Hornets | His thoughts on why Stern did it | Owners wanting more control of the league and not allowing players to hi-jack franchises | Dan Gilbert | Gilbert’s not alone on this he just likes to write emails | Mark Cuban wasn’t happy about the trade either | Dell Demps is a bright young general manager | The Hornets will not get any value for Chris Paul now | A lot of General Managers thought the CP3 trade made the Lakers worse | Demps’ job is impossible | Andrew Bynum | Dwight Howard | Thought Howard wanted to go to the Lakers or New Jersey Nets | Chris Paul may file a lawsuit against the league now | Kris Humphries and Kim Kardashian | Kris Humphries being more popular than Chris Paul |

Adrian on the NBA Players Union: “It’s completely dysfunctional.”

Topics: The Players Union leadership is not looking to de-certify | Some agents want de-certification | Billy Hunter | If the Union decertifies it could cost them the entire season | Not sure if the owners are buying the decertification threat of the players | The Players Association is on the brink of chaos | The splintering of the Players Union | Players turning on each other | Fans | Jason Whitlock’s column on Derek Fisher possibly cutting a side deal | Hasn’t not heard anything from his sources about Fisher cutting a side deal | Hunter’s private PR staff | Hunter wants someone else to take the blame for a bad deal | Dysfunctional Union | The NBA machine | Players negotiating deals | David Stern | The hold ups |

Adrian on the NBA Lockout mediation session today: “If they don’t make significant progress in the next 24 hours you’ll see the next 2 or 3 weeks of the season cancelled in short order.”

Topics: NBA Lockout | 16 hour mediation meeting yesterday without making much progress | Owners strategy | The owners are willing to wait it out | The players union being unified | Dwyane Wade and David Stern getting into it during the meetings | Kevin Garnett hurting the negotiations? | The stars being apart of the meetings | KG being vocal | This could be the Celtics last run | Garnett trying to intimidate | Chris Paul is the only star player on the executive players committee | The owners don’t like the stars coming into the meetings | Any progress today? | Meetings starting again this morning | They need to make significant progress in the next 24 hours or a few more weeks of the season will be canceled | David Stern’s playbook | Fans always siding with ownership on these negotiations | The union’s strategy | Shortened season | LeBron James’ off-season | James working on his low post game with Hakeem Olajuwon |

Adrian on LeBron James' performance in Game 4 of the 2011 NBA Finals: “Reminiscent of Game 5 against Boston last year.”

Topics: LeBron James scoring 8 points | LeBron last night was reminiscent of Game 5 against Boston last year | LeBron being a spectator | LeBron and Dwyane Wade | This is more on LeBron than Erik Spoelstra | Spoelstra will try to get LeBron more involved | James just starts drifting | How will James respond in Game 5 | The reason the series is 2-2 is because of LeBron | Chris Bosh saying James needs to be more aggressive | Miami needs to head home up 3-2 | Someone in Miami will check LeBron James; that wouldn’t happen in Cleveland |

Adrian on LeBron James right now: “He needs to beat Boston, period.”

Topics: 2011 NBA Playoffs | Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics | LeBron James needs to beat Boston, period | LeBron in this series | Who takes the last shot of the game for the Heat? | Dwyane Wade | Miami still not playing together | Miami’s off season parade | LeBron’s Cleveland years | Miami’s Big 3 vs. Boston’s battled tested Big 4 | Miami should win this series | Shaq | Miami has no excuses not to win the series | Doc Rivers future | Doc possibly taking a year off after this season | Rivers loving his situation in Boston right now | Mike D'Antoni | Los Angeles Lakers | Lakers vs. Mavs | Nature of the Lakers |

Adrian on Carmelo Anthony's play in New York: “He's under delivered as far as wins and losses and his ability to grow as a player.”

Topics: Knicks vs. Celtics last night | Carmelo Anthony | Anthony unwilling to change his game | Not sure if Melo is capable of re-inventing himself | Amare Stoudemire | Amare has changed | Donnie Walsh | James Dolan has always been star struck | Knicks could have possibly had Deron Williams | Amare has shown leadership | Amare had created a positive culture before Carmelo arrived | Melo is about Melo | George Karl taking shots at Carmelo at every opportunity | Melo needs to stop worrying about Denver | Carmelo's reaction to losing to Detroit last week | Melo hiding on the team bus after the Pistons loss | Carmelo needing to fit into the Knicks system | Can Melo handle New York? | Melo needs to learn how to lead | Chauncey Billups

Adrian on the Miami Heat’s struggles: “They honestly thought this was going to be easy.”

Topics: Stan Van Gundy’s comments on the Miami Heat about having a championship celebration before they even played a game | The Heat thought this was going to be easy | Dwyane Wade’s comments about everyone wanting the Heat to lose | Wade never wanted to be the bad guy | LeBron and Dwyane have to change this | LeBron is batman he won’t be a robin | The stars second guessing playing in Miami | Miami used to be Dwyane Wade’s town | Why the Heat can’t close | The Heat players crying? | Isn’t sure who was crying | The players have to keep the Wade / James partnership together | Erik Spoelstra’s future |

Adrian on the Nets chances of Carmelo Anthony agreeing on a trade to New Jersey and signing an extension: “A punchers.”

Topics: Carmelo Anthony trade talks | New Jersey back into the Carmelo trade mix | Trade package | Steep deal for the Nets | Denver has always wanted New Jersey’s offer over New York’s | Nets have a punchers chance of Anthony saying “Yes” | Collective Bargaining Agreement | New York’s interest in Anthony | Knicks have options moving forward | Isiah Thomas being in James Dolan’s ear | Dolan wanting Isiah to be the General Manager last summer | Why hasn’t Walsh stepped down? | Dolan’s financial freedom | Walsh’s love of New York City | New Jersey’s future | Los Angeles Lakers |

Adrian on if the Lakers and Nuggets are having substantial trade talks involving Carmelo Anthony and Andrew Bynum: “No.”

Topics: In Boston for Celtics vs. Lakers | Lakers need this win | Lakers haven’t beaten the good teams this year | Celtics are beat up right now | Carmelo Anthony and Andrew Bynum trade rumors | Carmelo doesn’t make sense for the Lakers | Doesn’t see a deal for the Lakers out there | Melo’s people | Denver losing leverage with New York when New Jersey pulled out of talks | Would Denver sit tight with Carmelo | Denver could be better off with just letting Carmelo to go to free agency | Who will blink 1st Denver or Carmelo? | Gilbert Arenas | Arenas gamble | Gilbert struggling | Gilbert’s ex girlfriend serving him papers | Allegations towards Arenas |

Adrian estimates the amount of money OJ Mayo and Tony Allen were reportedly fighting over: “Probably south of 7 or 8,000 dollars.”

Topics: OJ Mayo – Tony Allen plane fight | Card game started fight | Mayo owed Allen money | Grizzlies locker room | OJ and Tony talked on Monday | Some teams talked about banning card games on planes | Ron Artest and Phil Jackson getting into it at practice | Artest getting tired of being called out in public | Phil’s job is to get Ron playing at a higher level | Phil’s arrogance | Boston vs. Spurs | Eastern Conference | Miami Heat | Still thinks Boston is the team to beat in the East if their healthy |

Adrian on where Carmelo Anthony will be dealt: “At the end of the day he will end up in New York.”

Topics: Boston Celtics vs. New York Knicks last night | Knicks matter once again | Paul Pierce taunting the fans | Big week for New York | If Carmelo goes to New York | Carmelo Anthony and the trade deadline | Denver wanting a package from New Jersey more than New York | Melo wanting the max money | Amare in New York | Amare’s impact on the Knicks franchise | Amare growing up | Mike D’Antoni being humbled | If LeBron would have gone to New York |

Adrian on the Miami Heat: “They’ve got to show their tough enough up front, and can deal with a good point guard.”

Topics: Miami Heat | Heat playing better | LeBron James and Erik Spoelstra | LeBron’s power play | Pat Riley backing Spoelstra | Heat not wearing the bulls eye very well | Heat players facing scrutiny | 2 Alpha Dogs | Close games | Wade envisioning LeBron James to play like Magic Johnson | Heat playing in Cleveland last Thursday | Dan Gilbert | Gilbert escaping accountability until last week | Fans turning on Cavs now | Cavs players not putting a body on LeBron | Byron Scott | Scott angry after loss | 1 on 1 sit down with Kobe Bryant | Kobe’s focus | Kobe Bryant’s thoughts on Michael Jackson | Michael Jackson’s influence on Kobe |

Topics: Carmelo Anthony | Anthony trade possibilities | 4 team trade including Carmelo Anthony that fell apart | Denver seems content for now and will try to change Anthony’s mind | Carmelo saying he never asked for a trade | Anthony would be fined if he publicly said he asked to be traded | Carmelo’s wife LaLa Vasquez wanting to be in a big market | Nuggets aging | Denver’s management instability | New Jersey | Carmelo’s contract | Chicago Bulls being the wild card for acquiring Anthony | Clippers being involved in talks with Denver; Nuggets wanted Blake Griffin | The Big 3 in Miami | The Heat off the court | LeBron’s posse | LeBron’s friends could do whatever they wanted in Cleveland | LeBron being the man | More media coverage | Pat Riley | Any chance Riley will coach? | Thinks the grind will keep Riley away |

Topics: LeBron James | James never planned on re-signing with Cleveland | 2008 Olympics | Chicago and Miami clearing cap space | Mike Brown and LeBron’s relationship | Why did he leave? | Pressure to win? | Did he take the easy way? | AAU mentality | The Decision | 2008 Olympic Team | LeBron’s immaturity almost cost him a spot on the Olympic team | Bruce Bowen called LeBron out in Olympic tryouts | LeBron’s reality | Dan Gilbert | LeBron’s decision | Doesn’t think James can go home again | Pat Riley | Riley selling LeBron | Players respect Pat Riley | Miami’s team chemistry | Last second shot | Doesn’t think LeBron is comfortable with taking the last shot | Team to beat is LA for now |

Topics: 2010 NBA Finals | Kobe Bryant after the game | Kobe let loose on his teammates in the locker room after losing | Bryant said defense has regressed | Lakers are a fragile group | Andrew Bynum has shown toughness | Frustrated with Ron Artest and Lamar Odom | Kobe taking the game over | Lakers couldn’t make a stop | Bynum’s’ health | The Boston bigs are beating up the Lakers front court without Bynum | Seems like 2008 without Bynum | If the Lakers lose the series; it will haunt Kobe Bryant forever | Kobe knows he has a window to stockpile title’s | LeBron James | James’ relationship with the Cavs | Tom Izzo | Izzo is trying to gage the relationship between LeBron and the Cavs | Izzo loves Michigan State | James enjoys the Soap Opera | Phil Jackson |

Topics: Lebron James | James was mentally checked out in Game 5 | Lebron seems withdrawn to people in the organization | Lebron’s leadership lacked in series against Boston | James will be happy if Mike Brown is gone | Lebron has been looking forward to his free agency for a couple years | Lebron’s other team | Headline is important for Lebron | Lebron is not about winning 1st | James has to win championships | Cleveland’s situation has regressed | New York | Can Lebron handle the New York media | Dwayne Wade and Lebron | John Calipari tweets | If Calipari is offered a job to coach James, he will go |

Topics: NBA Playoffs | John Calipari to Chicago story | Calipari wants it more than Chicago right now | Calipari has ties to Lebron and Derrick Rose | If Cavs lose, great shot of Lebron asking management for Calipari | Lebron loves John Calipari | Says Calipari someday will coach Lebron | Calipari’s experience in New Jersey | Cal learned a lot from his first experience | Calipari alienated everyone in New Jersey | NCAA and Cal’s relationship | Lebron and Kobe | Lebron’s injury | Lebron has never played with an injury | Kobe is very angry and defiant with critics right now | Bryant upset that people think Durant and Lebron have passed him | Kobe’s plan on the photo shoot |