Multiple reports suggest Mike D’Antoni has unleashed his last exasperated sigh at another Shaquille O’Neal turnover or failed post play by Amare Stoudemire. He could be out as Phoenix Suns coach as early as today, though no official word can be found and the multiple reports spend a lot of time referencing each other.

(Enumerating the number of years he will be a general manager)

Still, one has to be impressed with the force of will likely to be imposed by General Manager Steve Kerr and owner Robert Sarver here. The team can’t win as currently constituted (though they looked awfully capable last season but for the want of a thicker line around the court), so a tremendous gamble will be made on a past-due Shaq.

And if it fails? Hell, must be the coach. The plan looked great on paper.

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O Great and Glorious Commissioner David Stern laid down the ground rules this week for the highly unusual replay of the last 51.9 seconds of regulation from the December 19th game between the Miami Heat and the Atlanta Hawks. The do-over was called when the Atlanta Hawks scoring staff fouled Shaquille O’Neal out by accidentally giving him someone else’s foul. (Big man can hack his own slashers in the lane, thanks.)

(This explains a lot.)

However, since the replay was declared, both teams have modified their rosters rather significantly. The Hawks traded a pile of nominal NBA talent for Mike Bibby and the Heat bamboozled the Phoenix Suns out of Shawn Marion for the services of the man who did not foul out of the December 19th contest, Shaq.

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