11.   Blount has playoff experience, playing with two Bulls teams that reached the conference finals and semifinals.

12.   Both conference finals could end early.

13.   A win Sunday, a second consecutive playoff sweep and a second consecutive trip to the conference finals, might bring that acclaim.

14.   After all, this is the team with six players who have been to the conference finals twice.

15.   Brown, Pitino, Bird and Calipari have a combined zero NBA titles and one trip to the conference finals, which Brown and the Pacers lost.

16.   But during the conference finals against Indiana, Van Gundy said, Checketts told him he was assured of his position.

17.   But he is one of just two members of that team, along with Christian Laettner, never to make it to an NBA conference finals.

18.   But less than two months ago, Portland was considered a lock to wind up in the conference finals and dispatch the Lakers.

19.   But on the strength of a pair of exhilarating conference finals, the NBA is now prospering like no one could have envisioned two weeks ago.

20.   But Roy has been mostly half show and only half substance in these conference finals.