$25,000 can net fans seats - and a player

tool name

tool name

Los Angeles Lakers (32-9) at Cleveland Cavaliers (32-11), 8 p.m.

A possible NBA Finals preview is on tap tonight at Quicken Loans Arena, where LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers play host to Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers.

These two superstars met before on Christmas Day, as James posted 26 points and nine assists to lead the Central Division-leading Cavaliers to a 102-87 win in Hollywood. Bryant netted a game-high 35 points in that one for LA, which has lost six of eight and seven of the past 10 meetings in the series. Cleveland is aiming to sweep the Lakers for the third time in the last four seasons (2006-07 and 2007-08).

Los Angeles will kick off an eight-game road trip Thursday and is 9-6 away from Staples Center this season. The Pacific Division leaders have won three in a row and are coming off Monday's 98-92 victory versus Orlando in which Bryant was held to just 11 points on 4-of-19 shooting. Pau Gasol had 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Lakers, who got a career-high 22 points out of Shannon Brown. Lamar Odom registered nine points and 16 rebounds

Boykins jumper with 0.4 left gives Wizards win

Two days after the NBA suspended their leading scorer and another teammate, Earl Boykins and the Wizards' reserves gave Washington a much needed lift, if only for a night.

Boykins hit a jumper with 0.4 to play and Washington defeated the New Jersey Nets 81-79 on Friday night, the Wizards' first game since guards Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton were suspended for the remainder of the season for bringing weapons into the locker room.

"You have to stay resilient," Wizards forward Caron Butler said. "You know, this has been a tough and trying period for all of us mentally and physically, but you have to try to find a positive. That's what we have been doing, trying to stay afloat, stay positive and keep pushing. Fortunately the city has been behind us and we have been moving forward."

With Jordan courtside, wouldn't you play harder?

The Charlotte Bobcats actually looked like a team Saturday night.

Yes, their opponent was only the Miami Heat.

But it was also the home opener, and all the seats were sold, and Michael Jordan was sitting about 5 feet from the bench, and for a change, everything looked good.

Van Gundy the latest to draw league fine

The Orlando Magic and coach Stan Van Gundy have been fined $35,000 each for his criticism of referees earlier in the week.

The fines were announced Friday, a day after Van Gundy's comments about the replacement officials were published.

Van Gundy became the third coach in three days to be fined. The Charlotte Bobcats and coach Larry Brown were each fined $60,000 on Wednesday for Brown's verbal abuse of officials and refusal to leave the court in timely manner after he was ejected during a preseason game, and his subsequent postgame criticism.

Never-ending tale

Jason Tindal grew up the son of a football coach, learning the job at his father's hip, from unpacking new helmets to pulling water hoses across hot fields.

He spent hours with his dad mowing grass, painting sheds and transporting middle school players home. He loved it.

Today, Tindal, 33, is head coach at Sanderson High School in Raleigh and is responsible for many of those same chores -- although he spends nearly double the time that his father spent on the job.