Welcome to another edition of The Chat House where Post columnist Michael Wilbon was online Tuesday, May 27 at 1:15 p.m. ET to take your questions and comments about the latest sports news and his recent columns.

The transcript follows.

Discussion Archive

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Seattle, WA: As a Seattle Sonics fan for life, it pains me to see Ray Allen struggle so mightily in these playoffs. What do you think is causing him so much trouble? Can the Celtics win the championship (or even the East) without Ray okaying well?

Michael Wilbon: we'll start in three minutes...promise...MW

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Hyattsville, Md. : MW, excited about your first Father's Day? Hope all is well with L'i Wilbon.

Does it make sense for a small part of me to dread a Lakers-Celtics Finals? Not that I have any particular hatred for either team. I am Spurs fan, but I love the NBA and think its great that the leagues two flagship franchises are relevant again. But despite all the talk about LA-Boston being the dream match-up, I fear that TV screens, websites and newsprint pages will be flooded with stories detailing the many ways in which these Lakers and Celtics can't compare to yesterdays Lakers and Celtics. Am I right to just assume that everything that happens in the league will be covered this way, or am I overly cynical?

Michael Wilbon: Hi everybody...Just flying in from Detroit for a pit-stop here in D.C. between now and tomorrow morn when I head to Boston for Game 5 of the Celtics-Pistons conference final...All's well with Matthew, thank you. I won't be home for Fathers' Day, my first one of course, because I'll be away at the NBA Finals...Bad for me, on one level but this is the business I have chosen. I understand your sentiment about Celtics-Lakers, and surely there will be some of that from old-timers who won't find this as appealing as the Lakers-Celtics series of the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s...But I think there would be a much greater tend to celebrate both the past and these teams, who have engaging people...interesting people who've earned their stripes in many cases.

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Bethesda, Md.: I don't want any specifics about political preferences, but do you hear the players talking much politics when you hang out with them?

Michael Wilbon: Good question. Yes...It's not Topic A every day, and it depends on the locker room. The Wizards, in part because of where they live but also because of who they are individually, are very politically in-tune and talkative about the issues. You surely can see how Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler, Etan Thomas are politically aware. Plus, they are absolutely chatters. But it depends largely on the team.

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Celtics-Detroit: I've come to like the Pistons, because they seem to be a genuine team. They're always talking to each other and playing hard for (and with) each other instead of showboating. Is that the way you've seen it as well?

Michael Wilbon: Well, I'm not convinced they always come to play. In fact, I'm fairly convinced they don't always. They throw in clunkers too often. I think they've done this in every playoff series since they won the NBA Championship in 2004. They did it twice against Cleveland (back-to-back years), in two consecutive games against the Bulls last year after taking a 3-0 series lead. They just did it in Game 1 of their first-round series with Philly..Look, I think they Pistons are a very, very, very good team and interesting to watch. But I hate when they go through the motions during the playoffs for a game (or two).

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Boston: Can the Celtics win without Ray Allen stepping up? Is Cassell the Celtics savior?

Michael Wilbon: Cassell, much as I love him, is no a savior. He didn't even play three straight games. I would use him more, no question. But Doc's down on his defense. My issue is that Rajon Rondo makes too many terrible decisions in close games and Sam KNOWS what to do as well as anybody on that team on offense with the game on the line. He's done it all his life. The Celtics have to have Ray chip in with a great game here and there, but it doesn't look like he's going to deliver a series with four or five 25-point games. This team doesn't need him to average 30, but it does need him to find his three-point shot. He's gotten his shooting percentage from 35 up to 44 in these playoffs, but we know he's struggled.

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Silver Spring, Md.: As you might have seen, Steve Goff posted a video on the soccer blog of the end of the Columbus/New England game this weekend, during which a Columbus fan uses a racial epithet while his compatriots throw bottles of beer and streamers at a celebrating N.E. player. I think that the racism is, hopefully, and isolated incident, but the objects thrown on the field prove that MLS has opened a pandora's box by effectively condoning Toronto fans and their streamers. I don't care about "bush league" or anything like that - that sort of activity is disruptive to play and I'm glad there isn't much of it in DC.

Michael Wilbon: Thank you for sharing. I haven't seen what Steve posted but sounds like I need to...Will I be shocked at what I see? Ummmm, no. Not a chance. Angered? Sure. Surprised? Nope.

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Beltsville, Md.: Do you sense any difference between a place like Detroit, well Auburn Hills, and Boston in terms of the building itself? The Palace is pretty much the last of the really huge arenas in the league. Every place since it was built has been built signifigantly smaller. I've always been curious if there's an appreciable difference between a building that holds around 19,000 or so for a basketball game and one that holds 24,000.

Michael Wilbon: I don't see any difference, to tell you the truth. The Palace was built in, what, 1989 or 1990? The United Center in Chicago holds just about the same number of people and it was finished in 1993. I think the Fleet Center, or whatever it's called now, was finished about a year or so later...Okay, he Palace holds 3,000 or so more, but there's no significant difference in the physical plant, not that I can see.

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New York: Rodney Stuckey- how did he slip to 15th? Joe Dumars is a remarkable judge of talent.

Michael Wilbon: Joe Dumars knows what he's doing, boys and girls. The notable exception, and everybody has several, would be taking Darko with the No. 2 pick after winning the 2005 championship. D. Wade was taken after that. And Darko, now that he's been given chances in Orlando and Memphis, still doesn't look anything like a No. 2 overall pick. But otherwise, Dumars has been spot on. Look how they've used former Wiz Jarvis Hayes, who had his best season in the NBA. Jason Maxiel at 26th? Are you kidding me? Like everybody in the NBA couldn't use Maxiel? Dumars has a great eye. And consider this: He wasn't even going to stay in basketball after his playing career was done. He was going to be involved, heavily, in another passion: professional tennis. As I remember it, the USTA really, really wanted Joe to be involved big-time. But his owner in Detroit, Bill Davidson, called and the rest is history.

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Let 'Em Play: I'm really having trouble enjoying these games when the whistle blows every time down the floor. Are the refs so sure that anarchy would ensue if they just swallowed their whistles for a while?

Michael Wilbon: You know, I'm totally with you on this, particularly last night's Game 4 in Detroit. What was the need for that? Are they under some kind of orders? I'll have to have a few chats and find out what the heck this is all about. But whatever the case, it needs to stop.

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L-Town, Md.: Are you going to watch any of the French Open? And who do you want and think will win, Nadal for the 4th in a row or possibly Djockovic?

Which majors have you been to?

Michael Wilbon: Yes, I will watch. And I've been to Wimbledon and the U.S. Open but not the Australian Open and not the French Open...not yet but I'll get there.

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San Diego: Wilbon,

A cracked hoof seems like an injury that would sideline a horse in normal circumstances. If something happens to Big Brown physically at the Belmont, ASPCA and PETA will be marching with torches. Any thoughts?

Michael Wilbon: You know, generally speaking and perhaps unfairly, I hate PETA and it's fanatical agenda. I mean, seriously I loathe the way they go about what they do. But if this Big Brown runs with a cracked foot and is for ANY reason "put down" shortly thereafter, horse racing will be in such trouble, the ridicule will drive people out of their jobs and the industry will take a fall that will necessitate years to recover. I know the vets say this is "nothing" but given what happened in the Derby...I don't get it. I don't know how Big Brown can run. I don't know anything about the health of horses, but I know about my reaction to see Eight Belles go down the way she did.

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Denver: While the Mickelson shot was wonderful to see in it's execution, doesn't it mean we'll witness another Wingfoot disaster in our futures? By the way, I loved the cannonball by the fan afterwards if only because it was so unexpected.

Michael Wilbon: That was a fabulous shot, wasn't it? And yes, it seems to encourage Phil to, uh, go for it. He loves to be swashbuckling, not measured...Makes for fun TV, doesn't it?

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Detroit: I believe that the Pistons and Lakers have a very interesting history as well. Why does no one think that a Pistons-Lakers series could be an interesting matchup with a storied history (though admittedly not as storied as Celtics-Lakers)?

Michael Wilbon: Good point. But it doesn't have the history of Celtics-Lakers, not even close.

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Pack Saddle Pass, TX: Doug Collins has frequently opined that Kobe Bryant can "turn it on whenever he wants." Do you agree that Kobe is so head-and-shoulders better than the other guys on the court? I admit that the guy's great, but that kind of comment is a slap in the face to those mere mortals schlepping up and down the court with him, don't you think?

Michael Wilbon: I think Doug Collins is the best basketball analyst not only right now, but ever. But I disagree with him here. I think sometimes in the past Kobe has felt that way and those comments reinforce the way he has felt. But I don't remember the greatest playesrs ever (Russell, Oscar, Jordan, Magic, Bird) doing that...I think the fact that Kobe did that less this year made him a better teammate and as a result, a first-time MVP.

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Wheaton, Md.: You have to pick someone to pitch a game where your life hangs on the outcome. Who is your choice? After all these years, I still go with Koufax. You?

Michael Wilbon: Gibson.

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Fastest Sport on 2 Feet: Did you happen to catch the Mens or Womens lacrosse championships? How about the rebound of Syracuse and the juggernaut that is Northwestern?

Michael Wilbon: Did I happen to watch? I attended the Northwestern-Syracuse women's lacross semifinal, in Towson Friday evening. BIG UPS to the Northwestern women for winning the NCAA Division I Championship for the fourth straight year. Who does that in any sport at any level anymore, regardless of gender? Kelly Amonte Hiller is an amazing coach and I hope our athletic department does whatever is necessary to keep her, even as big schools who are now going lacrosse crazy will try to seduce her away with piles of money. Congratulations to Syracuse for winning the men's championship...I can't say I was heavily into the men's tournament. I tend to root for Johns Hopkins, for no reason that I can identify...

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Whining Like Tim Duncan: Hi Mike....I don't believe I'm alone on this, but my dislike of everything Spurs basketball is rooted in the amount of obnoxious whining Tim Duncan does. Every single time down the court! Doesn't matter if he wasn't within 10 feet of the ball. Can you please tell him to shut up and wipe that look off his face? Please?

Michael Wilbon: There are a lot of people, and I mean a lot, who feel as you do. And Duncan does whine A LOT. And what I don't understand is that he didn't do that in college and his first few years in the pros, but along the way adopted this whining. Does it matter to me? Not really. There's so much whining and posturing in all sports these days. Nobody says, "Yep, good call" anymore. It's all a drama fest and I hate that. Thing is, you still should look at what Duncan and Ginobili and Parker do when they're on the court. They're like a great band. I love watching them.

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New york, NY: Have you had a chance to talk to Isiah about his tenure in NY and why it was so horrid?

Michael Wilbon: Very little. Last year I was up there and we stood in the tunnel and talked about it some, but not a lot. Look, I think Isiah did a terrible job in New York all the way around, but I don't think he's the devil like so many Knicks fans...perhaps because I'm not a Knicks fan. Anyway, the piling on seems to be a bit much, and maybe I'm being overly sensitive because he's a Chicagoan, and a Catholic League kid whose career I've followed for 30-plus years. I'll probably sit with him at some point and just listen...There's nothing I really care to ask him about it, other than at what point he actually knew in his heart of hearts that it was going south and he couldn't reverse it.

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Reston, Va.: Re Detroit, how cool would it be to have NBA conference finals, NHL Finals and MLB playing at home on the same day? Given the Wiz and Caps both play in the same building, this could never happent here. But, can you recall DC ever having an amazing day of sports much like Detroit had over the weekend?

Michael Wilbon: No. Like that? Finals and conference finals? No. That happens every few years. New York had it with the Rangers and Knicks in 1994. The Bulls and Blackhawks had it in, I think, 1992. It's fun to be in any city when that happens. And it would be great if D.C. could experience that, too. But as you stated we couldn't because we don't have 25 arenas and stadiums like Detroit. But that's a real sports city. Detroit's right up there with Philly, Chicago, New York and Cleveland as the best sports cities in America. Maybe San Francisco should be in that group. There are years I'd put Seattle on the rung just below. But Detroit lives for its teams in a way few cities do.

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Washington, D.C.: What would you do if you looked up and saw Danica storming your way?

Michael Wilbon: Smile.

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Philadelphia: Michael, I assume the big story in sports today is another national women's lacrosse title by Brittany Wilbon and the Northwestern Wildcats?

Michael Wilbon: You know it! My Goddaughter (and cousin, thus the same last name) is a freshman and didn't play in the playoffs but she was a part of the team and I'm terribly proud of her and all the women who worked and practiced and pushed each other to do this...Very, very cool.

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Ann Arbor, Mich.: You mentioned in your column today that you think the Pistons-Celtics series will go 7 games. Who do you think will win Game 7?

Michael Wilbon: I would find it very, very difficult to pick against the home team, especially the Celtics and Lakers, in Game 7s. And I think both will go the distance.

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Washington, D.C.: Please help me understand something...I keep hearing how people are dreading a possible Pistons-Spurs finals, claiming it would be a "ratings nightmare," among other things. What does that tell you about the game when a match up of two of the most dominant franchises of the past decade is a "ratings nightmare." Are people that obsessed with seeing Celtics vs. Lakers? Good thing there is no parity in the NBA, so there's no chance of ever seeing a Raptors vs. Clippers final. Imagine the ratings for that one.

Michael Wilbon: It's not just the NBA, people are obsessed with ratings (trust me, I work with one every day) and can't get past watching teams they don't know are aren't part of big markets, unless they have Brett Favre, a big star in a tiny market. I don't care about the issue one bit and think it's rather childish, even though there's no arguing with the numbers.

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Washington, D.C.: Role play time, Wilbon. You're O.J. Mayo. You're almost certainly going to Minnesota, Oklahoma City, or Memphis. You didn't go to USC to establish the O.J. Mayo brand, only to end up playing in some third-rate NBA market. You're going be like Yi Jianlian and warn those teams not to take you, or be like Kobe and simply refuse to leave L.A., right?

Michael Wilbon: I hadn't thought about it yet, but you make plenty of sense.

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Washington, D.C.: From last week's discussion -- Joe (NYC): Will David Stern be fixing the lottery for the Knicks this year like in 1985?

Michael Wilbon: Ha! I just asked Tony that the other day. I would hate to see a Chicago born and raised kid (Derrick Rose) go to play for the Knicks. I really and truly would hate it. I know he's not going to play for the Bulls, but please, not for New York City.

I got a big laugh when I saw that the Bulls had moved into the top spot in the draft after reading this chat last week. I would take Beasely but I do not think you can go wrong either way.

Michael Wilbon: yeah we can. And John Paxon had made plenty of bad decisions already. I want to see Rose in a Bulls uniform, period.

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Ojai, CA: Hi Mike, No matter who wins the NBA conference playoffs, the league finals can be billed as a contest between a team packed with international players (Lakers or Spurs) versus a club dominated by American ballers (Pistons or Celtics). Are the players aware of this difference, and do they see any significance in it?

Michael Wilbon: I doubt the American players are aware of it...Good question though. I bet the internationals know, but I don't think the Pistons are paying much attention. Chauncey Billups and Rip would know, maybe McDyess. And I'm sure Ray Allen, with his international experience, would be aware...Nice theme...Hmmm, I might smell a column there!

Okay, gotta run and prepare for PTI. Mr. Tony is getting grumpy...Next week, let's see...I'll be returning from what should be the Eastern Conference Game 7 in Boston.

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Boston: How can you leave Boston out of your greatest sports cities in America list and mention Seattle?

Michael Wilbon: I thought I had Boston in there...sorry...Okay, here's my list of the top group: Boston, Detroit, Chicago, Philly, New York, Cleveland, San Francisco...Let's hope I didn't leave anybody else out. My bad.

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Milwaukee: I saw an interesting piece on the 1983 Sixers and I was wondering: who's more underrated from that team, Bobby Jones or Andrew Tony?

Michael Wilbon: Great question. I think Toney...He could have scored 30 a game and would have done it with 15 shots a game. Incredibly efficient. Bobby Jones was a terrific, terrific player as well...Seemed to have a little more acclaim...I'd like to have both.

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Washington, DC: Excessive whining extends to the fans too. Any call against the home team seems to result in a shower of boos, regardless of whether it was a good call or not. A smart fan should be able to acknowledge when their guy, for example: (1) is caught stealing; (2) committed a charging foul; or (3) committed pass interference

Michael Wilbon: Yep, true.

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BaltimoreD: Beasley or Rose? If Rose, does that signify the end of Hinrich's days in Chicago?

Michael Wilbon: Rose. Hinrich has never been a point guard. He's 'tweener, a guy who should be coming off the bench as the third guard for a really good team. He makes terrible, terrible decisions with the ball and isn't a creative playmaker in the least...Not his fault, he's been miscast. He and Ty Thomas and others can be packaged in a deal or deals.

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Alexandria, Va.: I know you have lots of time for professional sports and less for college- so I wanted to call your attention to a phenomenal softball pitcher. She plays for Virginia Tech, is a senior, threw a no-hitter against the women's Olympic team, ending their 185 game exhibition winning streak dating to 1996, and is 3rd all-time in NCAA strikeouts. Angela Tichner. The one and only. If you get a chance to watch her during the coverage of the Women's World Series, highly recommend it.

Michael Wilbon: Thank you for that. I actually watched a tiny bit of that game so I know her name. But thanks for filling out the picture.

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