The Bucks Stop Here

Pat Riley could tell you a few things about pressure. He must negotiate the rightfully large egos of Shaquille O’Neal, Dwyane Wade, Alonzo Mourning, and the rest of a team everyone in Miami expects -- no, demands -- to win the NBA championship. Now. By firing Stan Van Gundy, Riley has taken on even more shoulder weight. And simply getting out of the East -- which will mean getting over Detroit -- is challenge enough. That said, we would rather have Riley’s job than run the show in Milwaukee, a repository of misfits and aging former stars where a .500 finish will be victory enough. The Bucks might not be a threat in the playoffs, but in the race their desperation could lead to a defeat the Heat doesn’t need.
Tue., April 4, 7:30 p.m.