FIVE QUICK HOOPS THOUGHTS: 1. Danilo Jersey . FLIP SAUNDERS (Timberwolves): Im not the least bit surprised that he appointed himself as head coach after his search concluded. The president had the most successful run of any coach in franchise history and is a good fit at this stage. The fact that hes got lots of power in the organization will help him in the locker room because players will know that the buck stops with him. That always helps a coach. 2. NBA FINALS FORMAT: I love the fact that the NBA has gone with the 2-2-1-1-1 traditional format. Im a huge believer that the finalist that had the better regular season deserves to be able to host that critical Game 5. This was a smart move to get in line with the demands of the fans and most coaches and executives. 3. NBA REFEREES: You can say what you want about officials and I have a tendency to mildly voice my opinion from time to time (haha) about them, but on the whole they do a terrific job and the playoffs are really difficult to call. I really like what the league has done this year with trying to keep officiating crews together during the Pplayoffs. Im a fan of consistency and, the more a crew works together, the more cohesive they become. It helps a great deal and it not only makes sense, but its smart. 4. ABC ANNOUNCERS: I absolutely love listening to Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson and Doris Burke. Insightful, prepared, enthusiastic and entertaining - a really enjoyable listen that enhances the experience of watching the game and helps promote the sport. Just like the Spurs and Heat on the floor, this is the best game broadcast team in hoops. Theres a nice balance of opinion and strategy brought each telecast. For me, a joy to listen to. 5. RASHARD LEWIS (Heat): Lewis dropped 14 points in Game #2 and its nice having veteran experience on the floor. His perimeter shot-making ability is critical and he gives them better size to deal with the Spurs penetration and post-ups in the paint. Hes got a ton of big game experience and it showed in a huge win for Miami. LeBron was brilliant, yet you must have unsung heroes to help complement the stars. This is a guy on many nights this season was a DNP or barely played. Lewis is a true pro whos ready when called upon. Filipe Luis Jersey . -- When the Los Angeles Kings are on top of their formidable defensive game, they revel in the silence they can create in a frustrated road arena. Thiago Silva Jersey . Specifically, thumbs up to the Canadian-based teams in the NHL, or at least most of them. http://www.soccerbrazilonline.com/Marquinhos-Copa-America-Jersey/ . Pistorius mindset when he stood on his stumps in a bathroom and pulled the trigger on his 9 mm pistol in the early hours of Feb. 14, 2013 remains the crux of the South African trial that has captured worldwide attention and is about to start its seventh week of globally televised proceedings. It was initially scheduled to run for three weeks.Flying high with the backing of Angry Birds, Finland received a wild card for the World Cup of Basketball on Saturday in a decision criticized for being more about business than basketball. Traditional contenders Brazil, Greece and Turkey drew the other three spots to complete the 24-team field for this summers tournament in Spain, basketball governing body FIBA announced Saturday at its meeting in Barcelona. The draw is Monday. Greece is ranked fifth in the world and the only team to beat the U.S. since Mike Krzyzewski became coach in 2005. Turkey is ranked seventh and was runner-up to the Americans in the 2010 world championship. Brazil, which will host the 2016 Olympics, is No. 10. Finland is only 39th, the only one of the 12 teams since 2006 to receive a wild card that wasnt in the top 24. But it had the support of Rovio, the Finnish company behind the popular Angry Birds games that had agreed to provide advertising if Finland was selected. "We are fully aware that despite our strong athletic results and fan support, we need to think creatively about how we can truly show our strength to FIBA and the basketball world," Antti Zitting, president of the Finnish Basketball Association said Thursday in a release announcing Rovios support. "As a small Northern country we cannot deliver the same type of TV audience as some other nations, but thanks to Angry Birds, we can offer an engagement platform that no other country can match. Douglas Costa Brazil Jersey. " FIBA lists economic aspects among the criteria for wild cards, which became part of the organizations biggest tournament in 2006. Secretary general Patrick Baumann noted Finlands recent success on the court but also its potential off it in a statement about the decision, citing the Finns four victories over top-15 teams at the 2013 European championships and their strong fan support. "The Finns are enjoying massive support with their fans travelling in big numbers to their games," Baumann said. "The current growth of Finnish basketball is the result of a solid long-term strategy being executed by the Finnish Basketball Association and still has a lot of potential for development." Russia, the 2012 Olympic bronze medallist , China, Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Germany, Israel, Italy, Nigeria, Poland, Qatar and Venezuela were the other countries that had applied for wild cards. Italy and Germany had previously withdrawn their bids and China, which was considered a leading candidate to get one because of its population and passion for basketball, did Saturday morning. FIBA also announced it had lifted a ban on Senegal and would allow it to be in the tournament. ' ' '