We're not sure what Steve Francis and Gary Payton were talking about, but we know they're both in Sunday's gallery.
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Teaching the Kids a Lesson
Malone
Karl Malone entered Sunday with 175 career playoff games to his credit, more than three times the total of Houston's starters. So how did the 40-year-old fare in Game 4? He merely posted 30 points and 13 rebounds, and he scored five points in the final 87 seconds of the Lakers' 92-88 win. "Karl Malone was definitely the difference," Shaquille O'Neal said. "I was actually surprised he could do that at 40. He gave us a spark with his physical play and his offense."
Although Tim Duncan scored 26 points on his 28th birthday, Tony Parker was the driving force behind San Antonio's 110-97 series-clinching win in Memphis. Parker finished with 29 points on 9-for-15 shooting, including 4-for-5 accuracy from long range, and he dished out 13 assists. "He really carried us through the entire game," Duncan said.
Kenyon Martin, N.J. VGM value: 18.3 Sunday: His plus-43 marked the third time Martin notched the top efficiency rating of NBA Playoffs 2004. He posted 36 points (13-19 FG) and 13 boards as New Jersey swept New York 100-94.
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Reggie Miller, Ind. VGM value: 10.6 Sunday: Reggie is no longer Indiana's star, but he still gets the job done, evident in his 14 points, five steals and 4-for-8 shooting from long range as the Pacers swept Boston away.
TIME TO TUNE IN
Monday on TNT Pistons at Bucks, 7 p.m. ET Kings at Mavs, 9:30 p.m. ET
SPEAK IT, MAN
"The younger players on this team feel obligated to go out and get a ring for Reggie (Miller). We know he doesn't have many more attempts."
-- Indiana's Jermaine O'Neal, on his 38-year-old teammate
Mailman delivers in Crunch Time:
Kenyon Martin, N.J.
Reggie Miller, Ind.