It's the 30th anniversary of your championship with Portland. How do you think that team would fare in today's NBA?
That team would do very well. They were a very sound team, good defenders, good rebounders. They could run the floor, play half-court, and they were a great passing team. I think that team scored more layups than any team in the history of the game. Those qualities stand up at any time.
Do you think that's one of the more overlooked teams?
It was short-lived. We only had the two years - the year we won the championship, and the year after when we were 50-10 at one point and had a rash of injuries and everything fell apart. Teams are ranked usually for their durability - how many championship did they win? Did they win back-to-back? Unfortunately the Blazers didn't do that.
Would you take Bill Walton, in his prime, over Shaq?
I think so. Walton was a volume rebounder, and Shaq has not been that. Walton was a consistent shot-blocker, and Shaq has not been that. Shaq's more powerful, but I think if you consider all the skills, I give Walton the edge.
How about those Heat teams you were a big part of in the mid- and late '90s? Are you surprised they never got over the hump and won a championship?
You'd think they could, but they were playing against the Chicago Bulls for much of that time, and the Bulls were one of the greatest teams of all-time.
• Eddie Jones went from the starting lineup in the first two games of the series to not playing one second in Game 4.
• Shaquille O'Neal should be fined next season for every free throw he refuses to attempt underhanded.
• The Heat was a better team with James Posey, who finally started, on the court.
• The Dolphins had better hope Ted Ginn Jr. doesn't turn out to be the kind of wasted draft pick Dorell Wright apparently is for the Heat.
• Luol Deng is now a star.
Pippen happy: The modest list of celebrities in attendance included Dallas Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens, actor Jeff Garlin (of Curb Your Enthusiasm), hip-hop artist Diddy and former Bulls star Scottie Pippen, a South Florida resident who this year talked about making a comeback at age 41.
Pippen was all smiles as he slapped high-fives with Bulls supporters in the closing minutes and after the game.
Sedate setting: AmericanAirlines Arena was one of the loudest arenas during the 2006 post-season, but not this time. Coming home 0-2 after opening in Chicago didn't help. And, at tipoff Sunday, half of the fans had not yet taken their seats.
Just kidding: Trying to motivate his players, coach Pat Riley kiddingly challenged them to spar with him in the locker room Saturday. Asked about that Sunday, he joked: "You see the makeup under my eye? They actually made contact."
No signs of feud: Members of both teams mingled in friendly fashion after the final buzzer.
Signs of the times: Two sad and notable sights as fans stampeded away from the arena. First, a merchandise stand parked on the sidewalk with official Heat memorabilia didn't even draw a sniff.
Second, 16 royal palm trees out front of the arena had numbers on them, representing the number of wins needed to repeat as NBA champions. None of the banners on the trees was X'd out.
ABC analyst Hubie Brown, on the Heat's 62-59 lead late in the third quarter:
"Can they keep it up for the full 48 minutes? That's something they could not do in Game 4."
