Ira Winderman

You ask, we (try to) answer.

Q. Does Miami have any punch without the assistance of the three blind referees? Seldom have I seen such biased officiating. Mr. Stern should fire those referees or at the very least force them to wear the correct (Heat) uniform next time they hit the floor to officiate another game.
— Mary, Boston

A. Or Boston could have a power rotation (Kevin Garnett and Brandon Bass) that shoots nothing but jump shots.

For as much as Bass has done for the Celtics, including his huge outing against the 76ers in the second round, he simply does not provide the foul-creating opportunities that Glen "Big Baby" Davis did.

Video   Questionable calls May 31, 2012: SportsTalk: How much is officiating to blame in the Celtics' losses to the Heat?

This is what happens when you play without a true center and when opponents prefer to allow your all-world point guard to shoot open jumpers, rather than allowing him to get into the paint.

Yes, the non-call on Dwyane Wade's face-grab on Rajon Rondo in Wednesday's overtime was a brutal omission by the officiating staff. It happens. Celtics coach Doc Rivers knows it.

But don't get caught up in Rivers' rhetoric. He simply was looking to set the table for Game 3.

As for LeBron James' path to the foul line, that's what happens when Garnett is forced to defend the high pick-and-roll and there are no other shot-blockers available for the Celtics.

Can an argument be made that the Celtics might deserve a better whistle? Sure.

But face it, this team has trouble scoring, and teams that have trouble scoring also have trouble getting to the foul line.

Q. What did Tom Benson threaten to do, put out a bounty on David Stern unless the Hornets won the lottery? Unreal.
— Irvin, Hasbrouck Heights, N.J.

A. Fishy? Sure. But too many reputations are on the line, and the lottery process itself makes it impossible to rig the drawing.

This is not a "frozen" Patrick Ewing envelope being drawn out of a hopper. These are Ping-Pong balls and randomly generated combinations being assigned to teams. You can't rig the lottery, not the way it currently is conducted. It would be like trying to rig Powerball.

But you can question a league where teams can tank to improve their lottery options.

What the Hornets, as a good-faith measure, should do is refund all those tickets for games they clearly were not playing to win at the end of the season.

Then again, you can say the lottery system worked, because it didn't reward the Bobcats' lack of shame in aggressively pursuing the league's all-time worst winning percentage.

Q. Vinny Del Negro again? Didn't the Clippers learn enough this season?
— Manny, La Habra, Calif.

A. Apparently not.

NBA finals: Heat def. Thunder 4-1 Mike Ehrmann / Getty Images The King is finally crowned Winderman: LeBron James has been a prodigy, superstar and villain. And now he's champion. The journey has left the league and Finals MVP humbled and happy for those closest to him. Ring 'em up: LeBron, Heat beat Thunder for title PBT: Like LeBron, Wade also had to grow up PBT: Second title puts Wade in upper echelon PBT: If not Heat-Thunder, who can win next year? PBT: LeBron-Durant rivalry is just beginning PBT: Perkins played with torn groin in Finals PBT: Thunder hope to learn from painful lesson PBT: Miller's 3-point barrage helps Heat win title Cleveland moves on as LeBron crowned champ Vote: How many titles will LeBron win? Interactive: Is LeBron sports' most hated?

No matter what you thought of Vinny's performance this season in guiding the Clippers, he essentially was hired to lead a young, growing team, and instead found himself fronting a legitimate contender once Chris Paul signed on.

With options such as the Van Gundy brothers and Nate McMillan available, it is difficult to argue that there weren't better options than maintaining a questionable status quo.

But these are the Clippers and this is owner Donald T. Sterling, so you had better leave reason at the door.

Del Negro will do fine, as long as you don't mind one-and-done when it comes to the playoffs.

Say what you want about Lakers coach Mike Brown, but the reality is his team continues to have a more reliable presence on their sideline. It's a coaching balance of power that continues to tilt in the Lakers' direction in Los Angeles.

Q. At first I saw that there is no way that the Knicks could lose Jeremy Lin. Now I'm hearing that there is going to be a hearing. Is this David Stern's way of sticking it to James Dolan?
— Jim, Ozone Park, N.Y.

A. Well, if you believe Stern, based on his media session at the NBA Draft lottery, this is a non-issue.

Of course, the union would disagree.

It comes down to this: If an arbitrator allows Lin to maintain his Bird Rights, since he was claimed off waivers by the Knicks and therefore, the union argues, maintains contract tenure, then the Knicks would not be limited to their mid-level exception to re-sign him. Stern insists such a challenge goes against the collective-bargaining agreement.

However, should the Knicks have to work under the "Gilbert Arenas Rule" (don't ask, but, no, it does not involve gun play), then it is possible another team swoops in with a back-loaded contract that could cause too much harm to the Knicks' long-range luxury-tax outlook.

The bottom-line view from here: Lin will be back with the Knicks next season, despite what is expected to be an aggressive bid from the Raptors.