Paul Jones

Paul Jones is the voice of the Raptors on the FAN 590 and writes regularly for Sportsnet.ca.

Attention all NBA general managers, please pick up a new, updated free-agent shopping list.

The biggest name in this summer's free agent pool, LeBron James, will be weighing his options sooner than he expected thanks to the Boston Celtics taking James' team, or maybe we can now use the term "former team" down in six games in the Eastern Conference semi-finals.

In the process of what some will call an ignominious defeat, the Cavaliers became only the second team in NBA history to have back-to-back 60-win seasons and not make it to the finals in either campaign.

As for James, he missed a chance to extricate himself from a list of six MVPs (Allen Iverson, Charles Barkley, Dirk Nowitzki, Karl Malone, Steve Nash).

Oh, the sixth player, Steve Nash, still has a chance to get off that list by actually winning in the finals.

James did his best to keep his team alive with a triple double, notching 27 points 19 rebounds and 10 assists that almost turned into a dubious quadruple double as he also had nine turnovers. But once again he received very little support and even though he had a big game, he never had his finger prints on the contest say the way Kobe Bryant would have had he been given the opportunity.

Truth is, Kobe may have never let it get to that point because it says here, he would not have laid the egg that James, and his team did on their home court in Game 5. Mo Williams showed up for the first half when he scored 20 of his 22 points, but that's just not good enough. The same can be said for Antawn Jamison's five point, two-of-10 from the field performance.

It's one thing for the Cavaliers to finally realize that this isn't your average Tuesday night in February and they had to turn it up, but it's quite another thing to actually know what is involved in elevating your game as a team the way the Celtics did. With the series sitting at 2-1 for Cleveland, Boston won three straight games with the form of the 2008 title squad on display. They choked Cleveland's unimaginative offense to the point where the Cavs shot less than 40 per cent from the floor and while James scored 27 points, he needed 21 shots.

Speaking of 2008 championship form, did anyone notice how agile Kevin Garnett looked in the series? KG did a terrific job in the final two games shooting 58% from the floor, not that he was bad during the series, hitting on a 52% clip in the six-game set, but he suddenly looked much healthier than he did at any point during the regular season. And if you needed any proof that he had the confidence of head coach Doc Rivers, all you needed to know was that when the Celtics needed a bucket late in the game, the ball went to Garnett on the inside and he delivered.

The No. 1 seed in the East will sit and watch the NBA Finals for the seventh time in the last eight seasons and yep, the only one to get to the title series in that span, the Boston Celtics, won it all.

So let the "where will LeBron James play next season," speculation move to the next level.

Will it be Chicago? Possibly, but remember, if it's a sign and trade, so James can garner an extra $30 million, what will the Cavs want in return and will it take the shine off Chicago's prospects for winning.

How about the omnipresent New York Knicks hearsay?

Miami is shopping and Pat Riley is willing to coach again. The last time a big name was on the market looking for a ring, Riley came out of the front office after making a deal for Shaquille O'Neal and took the Heat to a championship.

How about New Jersey?

There's a new owner with money. I mean real money folks, the kind that folds and people carry in bags, not like the stuff that jingles in the Every Day Joe's pocket.

There is another team in Los Angeles with about as much cap room as the Bulls? James a Clipper? Nah! But at this point, don't rule anything out.

In an effort to have James stay, do the Cavs bend backwards even further, might the Cleveland organization ask him who he wants to coach and kick Mike Brown to the curb? If he does stay in Cleveland, with O'Neal's money coming off the books, is there room for an Amare Stoudemire or Chris Bosh to join him?

Is your head spinning yet? Just wait, it's just beginning.

In the aftermath of Boston's victory last night, Garnett was asked for his thoughts on James' impending decision this summer.

Hinting at the saying, "if I knew then what I know now," KG said that loyalty is great but you can't get your youth back. Was that a cryptic message to James, maybe Bosh or anyone else? If anyone would know, it would be Garnett. All I can say Hoop Heads is stay tuned.

But back to basketball and a quick look at the Eastern Conference Final. Paul Pierce sat at the podium amongst all the glory of the Celtics win and said that "he was not proud of the win."

The ultimate goal is a championship and they can celebrate this for a night but then its time to move on to the next challenge.

It looks like it's shaping up to be an old school, grind it out defensive style tussle between Orlando and Boston. The Celtics defense will need to be as staunch as it was against the Cavs because the Magic have been playing well for quite some time and it has continued in the playoffs.

There will be some terrific battles. Who guards the rejuvenated Garnett? Rajon Rondo against Jameer Nelson will be a great matchup at the point. How about Boston's defense against Orlando's three-point shooting and this morning's text message from head coach Doc Rivers sure sounded like Kendrick Perkins was going to have to play Dwight Howard one-on-one, without help.

It's a strategy that works.

Just ask the Raptors as it was the same strategy they employed in winning three games from the Magic over the past two seasons. Even if Dwight goes off for 30 points, you hold the others in check and maybe force Howard into turnovers and missed free throws.

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Under the "well that's no surprise" Mike Woodson was shown the door in Atlanta as the Hawks are now in the market for a new head coach. But a word of caution to the next man in the chair for the Hawks: it's going to be a hot seat. They don't call it "Hot-lanta" for nothing and boy there is going to be some real pressure. The Hawks have made a steady climb up the standings but have been thwarted in their attempt to get to the Conference Final. Joe Johnson's future is up in the air and ownership will be looking for someone to get them to the top of the mountain. It was a disappointing end for the Hawks but looking at the talent on that team, does simply replacing the coach, even if Johnson returns, make this a title team?

See what I mean about the pressure being on the next coach.

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It's not the LeBron lottery, but the NBA Draft Lottery takes place in Secaucus on May 18 and the Toronto Raptors will send last years ninth overall selection DeMar DeRozan as their lucky charm hoping to climb the ladder in search of a high draft pick.