Sorry to do it to you, Slava. But when you get someone’s nuts in your face like that, it’s only a matter of time before you get victimized in Highlight Reel of the Day form. I don’t care if you’re a Celtic. By the way, Favors took off from like ten feet out. He’s a freak.

If you care about whether the Celtics won or not, they didn’t. They lost 86-68. I haven’t seen the game yet, but Luke Harangody had 18 and 8. Check out the box score here.

Bosh and Lebron would be dangerous.

The Raptors would agree to a sign-and-trade deal that would make Chris Bosh a Cleveland Cavalier, according to ESPN sources.

So what’s holding it back? Bosh doesn’t seem to want to play in Cleveland. According to the report, Bosh would rather play with Lebron in a different city, namely Chicago, Miami or New Jersey.

The Toronto Raptors have told the Cleveland Cavaliers they will do a sign-and-trade with them for Bosh, according to several league sources.

The exact details of the potential trade have not been solidified, but Toronto likely would get Anderson Varejao and/or J.J. Hickson, Delonte West and perhaps Anthony Parker. A draft pick could be involved as well.

ESPN NBA insider Chris Broussard says he thinks LeBron James is leaning towards staying in Cleveland. Chris Bosh wants to play with James but would rather do it in a bigger city than Cleveland.

Both James and Bosh are aware that such a trade is possible, and James has tried to recruit Bosh to the Cavaliers several times in the past few weeks, according to sources.

But right now, Bosh remains cold to the idea of playing in Cleveland.

The Cavaliers are hopeful that will change, because in Cleveland, Bosh can meet two of his top priorities: playing with James, and getting a six-year, $125 million contract.

Responding to the ESPN report, Cavs beat reporter Brian Windhorst tweeted, “From what I hear Raptors & Cavs not as far down line on sign-and-trade as is being reported. There have been some talks, not serious yet.”

Anyway, where did all this “Bosh definitely wants to play with Lebron” stuff come from? Didn’t Bosh say a couple weeks ago he wanted to be the main star wherever he went? I don’t get how quickly and drastically that has changed. Now, all of a sudden, every report assumes he wants to latch onto a superstar and ride his coattails.

If this sign-and-trade ever happened, the deal would make the Cavs better. Obviously. But the Cavs landing Bosh and keeping Lebron wouldn’t be as devastating to the East as, say, Lebron and Bosh joining Rose and Noah in Chicago.

Wherever they go, I can’t wait until these stars sign so they can stop hi-jacking ESPN 24/7.

Adrian Wojnarowski reports that a couple teams are interested in signing Brian Scalabrine.

“The Nets and Philadelphia 76ers are expected to have interest in Boston Celtics free agent Brian Scalabrine,” Wojnarowski wrote. “The reserve forward prefers to re-sign with the Celtics, but it’s unclear if they’ll make him an offer.”

Good for Scal. I wouldn’t mind seeing him in a Celtics jersey (aka a suit, at the end of the bench) next season, but if he’s not a Celtic I’d still like to see him in the NBA.

"Don't worry, Doc. I might be back next year, after all."

The New Orleans Hornets are prepared to offer their head coaching position to someone else if Tom Thibodeau doesn’t accept the position by Thursday, reports ESPN’s Mark Stein.

The New Orleans Hornets, who offered their vacant coaching job to Boston Celtics assistant Tom Thibodeau last week, might hire someone else if Thibodeau has not accepted the job before Game 1 of the NBA Finals, according to sources close to the situation.

The Hornets don’t want to let their coaching search drag beyond this week and plan to offer the job instead to Portland Trail Blazers assistant Monty Williams if Thibodeau, Boston’s defensive specialist, doesn’t accept by Thursday, according to sources.

If Thibodeau decides to keep New Orleans waiting and roll the dice that New Jersey or Chicago will offer him a contract, he risks losing the only sure thing he has.

Could we possibly go another season without Tom Thibodeau getting a head coaching job? It would seem almost unfathomable, but it might happen.

That pink tie looks great, Thibs.

After years of being overlooked for every head coaching opening despite his own sterling reputation as a defensive Einstein, Tom Thibodeau is finally going to get a head coaching job… as long as he doesn’t vastly overplay his hand.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, Thibs’ agency has begun contract discussions with the New Orleans Hornets.  However, the deal is far from done.  Thibodeau would like to keep his options open for a potential offer from the New Jersey Nets or Chicago Bulls.  Both the Bulls and Nets jobs are considered better opportunities than the Hornets — the Bulls have Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah and cap room, while the Nets have plenty of cap space and a Russian owner with bottomless pockets focused on nothing but winning championships (well, that and making jet-skiing instructional videos starring himself).

Woj reports that Thibs’ number one choice is the Bulls, but Thibs may have to decide between taking a Hornets offer that’s already on the table and waiting for an offer from Chicago or New Jersey that might not come. The Hornets could rescind their offer if they feel Thibs is using other opportunities as leverage.

And Thibs is likely to have other opportunities.  He is being mentioned as a favorite for both the Nets job and the Bulls position he seeks.  The Chicago Daily Herald (h/t Green Street) reports that Thibs is one of two clear-cut candidates for the Bulls job, with former Blazers coach Maurice Cheeks being the other.  However, there is speculation the Bulls could hire Brian Shaw (former Lakers player and now a Lakers assistant) in an attempt to lure Lebron James, who apparently has some interest in playing in the triangle offense.  Of course, all the Shaw talk seems to be wild speculation… as is almost everything we’ve heard about Lebron this summer.

Thibs is certainly a sought-after man.

In a possible prelude to becoming head coach of the New Orleans Hornets, Tom Thibodeau has hired an agent. (CBS Sports)

While Tom Thibodeau remains the front-runner for the Hornets’ head coaching position, the extension of the Celtics-Magic series has complicated efforts by both parties to close the deal.

Thibodeau, architect of the Boston defense that ousted LeBron James from the playoffs, is entrenched in a suddenly difficult Eastern Conference finals with Orlando as the Celtics’ 3-0 lead has dwindled to 3-2 heading into Game 6 Friday night in Boston. In preparation for a contract negotiation with New Orleans, Thibodeau hired leading sports representation firm Creative Artists Agency on Thursday, according to a person with knowledge of the decision. CAA has an expanding coaching business in addition to its dealings with top free agents James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.[...]

The Bulls and Nets also are interested in Thibodeau, though in Chicago’s case, his hiring of an agent could complicate matters since the Bulls are one of the only teams in the NBA that do not negotiate with coaching agents.

I’m so torn about Thibodeau leaving. He seems to be a huge part of what the Celtics have accomplished the past three seasons, but he deserves a head coaching job somewhere.

It looks like he’ll finally get his shot.