Pop star

Will Duncan be back? Who knows. But until then, count on Popovich and co. to keep the Spurs playing at an elite level. Just don't expect them to draw attention to themselves doing it.

? I don't know about Sean May. I'm not talking about May the college player, the man who dominated the NCAA tournament and looked like he could be a legitimate force at the next level. I'm talking about May the pro prospect, who at 6-foot-7 (no, he is not 6-9), 255 pounds may not be able to handle the size and athleticism most NBA power forwards possess. I can't help but think back to the ACC tournament, where May's lack of leaping ability caused him to have an inordinate amount of shots blocked or contested. However, the last player to have parlay a monster NCAA tournament into prime draft selection was Kansas' Nick Collison (remember that 30-20 game he had against Syracuse?). If draftniks think May can equal Collison's production at the next level, he might be worth a look in the middle of the first round.

? Congratulations, David Stern. By not suspending Miami forward Udonis Haslem (as I thought you would) you sent a clear message that certain protection rights will be given to players standing up for their teammates. Haslem's reaction to Bulls forward Andres Nocioni's hard foul/push to Dwyane Wade was perfect: He didn't throw a punch, he simply delivered a hard shove that sent Nocioni sprawling -- hilariously -- into the first row of the stands. No punches were thrown, no melee ensued, just one player sending a message that cheap shots on his superstar will not be tolerated. Kudos, Udonis!

? Looks like I just might get my wish. After years of coaching retreads being hired, fired and then hired again, it appears Portland is leaning towards hiring Phoenix assistant Marc Iavaroni as its head coach next season. Iavaroni has paid his dues -- he had a 14-year career as a player and coach and is a student of Pat Riley and Mike Fratello. Iavaroni deserves this opportunity, as do many assistants working at this level. The sooner the NBA realizes this, the better off it will be.

See you next week.