Q: What NBA stars other than Tracy McGrady have never made it out of the first round of the playoffs?
— Miy, San Diego

A: Geez, do you actually want me to do research here? McGrady, of course, is the leader in the clubhouse and doesn't stand much chance to ending that 10-year (six appearances) streak this season. Kevin Garnett was the leader for quite some time until the Timberwolves went to the conference finals in 2004. The player with the best chance now of running down McGrady is Denver's Carmelo Anthony. The other All-Star level players never to reach the second round are Chris Bosh and Michael Redd. Among other top players, or at least big scorers, there's Andre Iguodala, who doesn't appear likely to reach the second round despite the 76ers' Game 1 win. What the players have in common is being on bad teams. Jamal Crawford and Eddy Curry never have played in a playoff game.

Q: What are the odds of us having a Lakers-Celtics Finals? Can the Lakers beat the Celtics even if Andrew Bynum doesn't return?
— Kaito, Malaysia

A: The Celtics seem clearly the class of the East and the favorites to go to the Finals. The Lakers appear in the running with the Spurs, Hornets and Jazz in the West if the Suns can't come back in their series with the Spurs. Without Bynum, who doesn't seem like he'll play again this season, the Lakers are no better than an even choice among those teams. The Celtics likely would be favored if the Lakers made it to the Finals, but you never discount the Lakers because they have the best player and finisher in Kobe Bryant.

Q: What do you think about a trade involving Gilbert Arenas for Derek Rose from Memphis on draft night, plus asking the other team for another pick or player? I think this would really improve the Wizards at the point guard position, plus give them another pick.
— Israel Shamir, Washington, D.C.

A: Why not see if they could also get Kobe Bryant for DeShawn Stevenson? It's ludicrous to suggest you could get Rose for Arenas, not only with Arenas coming off a season of injury and surgery. But Rose figures to be a better player down the road because he is a true point guard and Arenas never has been past the second round of the playoffs and really is a small shooting guard and not a true point guard. No one is giving up the No. 1 or No. 2 pick this season for anything short of Bryant or LeBron James.

Q: It seems to me that John Paxson really blew it in Chicago. He spent years stockpiling young talent and high draft picks, and the best he could come up with was Larry Hughes and Drew Gooden. What do you think?
— Paul Hayes, Melbourne, Australia

A: It hasn't been his best year. A year ago as the Bulls were sweeping the Heat with Shaq and Wade, Paxson would have been demonized for trading his top players and getting rid of his coach. Two months into the season he wanted to do it all. It's how fast things can change in the NBA. The Bulls may have blown an opportunity, but they truly had no chance to get Bryant, and Memphis wanted salary relief and not players for Pau Gasol, and Gasol wouldn't have been as good with the Bulls compared with Bryant. There's no question the Bulls have taken a step or two back, and I doubt Hughes is in their future. Maybe not Gooden, either. But they still have some talent and a chance to at least get back into playoff contention.

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