Lineup

FEATURES

TRACK ANDFIELD
38 The Toughest Job
Justin Gatlin set the record in the 100 meters. Now how does he convince theworld he's not taking drugs?
by Tim Layden

NBA PLAYOFFS
42 View from Here
Not since Jordan has a postseason had so many tasty subplots. Starting withDetroit's starters, here are three
by Chris Ballard

NHL PLAYOFFS
50 The Almighty Duck
Speedy sniper Teemu Selanne has Anaheim within quacking distance of the StanleyCup finals
by Michael Farber

BASEBALL
54 Parting Shots?
Barry Bonds's poor production has stirred talk that this could be his lasthurrah in San Francisco
by Tom Verducci

ALBERTPUJOLS
A Swing of Beauty
The sweet stroke of the Cardinals' first baseman has put him on a home run tearand made him the game's best hitter
by Daniel G. Habib
PAGE 58

Departments

6 LeadingOff
12 Letters
17 Air and Space
Things that go bump (and get shot, arrested, burgled and autographed) in thenight by Steve Rushin

18 Scorecard
• Remembering a gentle champion
• Another move for Larry Brown?
• Marion Jones blazes again

28 Faces in theCrowd
31 Players
76 Life of Reilly
Athletes' Top 10 Alltime Skirt Hurts: They looked so right, but turned out tobe so wrong by Rick Reilly

Inside ...

68 Baseball
• Fast start for Philly slowball artist

72 The NFL
• Jets coach relies on his Pats past

74 MotorSports
• The heat is on Danica Patrick

Cover
PHOTOGRAPH BY PETER NEWCOMB/REUTERS
INSET PHOTOS: John Biever (Wallace); Heinz Kluetmeier (Pujols, 9)

SI Extra
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ON THE WEBSI.COM

GO TO SI.COM DAILYFOR SCORES, STATS AND BREAKING NEWS

>>NBAPLAYOFFS

Teams that havewon Game 3 in a best-of-seven series have advanced 75.5% of the time, whichmeans Tony Parker (right) and the defending champion Spurs have their work cutout for them against Dallas. Follow their matchup and the rest of postseasonplay at SI.com/nba.

>>FANTASYBASEBALL

The NationalLeague has produced its share of first-year pitching phenoms (Doc Gooden,Dontrelle Willis), and Cubs southpaw Sean Marshall (left) is shaping up as thelatest in that long list. Go to SI.com/fantasy to get Brad Evans's analysis tofind out which of this year's young NL starters are fantasy league breakouts orfakeouts.

>>RIFFS OFREILLY

The Knicks may buyout the remaining four years and $40 million of coach Larry Brown's contractafter he had only 23 wins last season. In a related story, hot dogs at MadisonSquare Garden will now cost $749, says Rick Reilly in his latest Riffs, whichyou can hear on Thursdays at SI.com.

>>TENNIS

"In what welikely can already consecrate as the match of the year," writes SI.com'sJon Wertheim, Rafael Nadal beat the world's No. 1 player, Roger Federer(right), in five sets in the Rome Masters final on Sunday. To get more insightfrom Wertheim heading into the French Open, go to SI.com/tennis.

THREE PHOTOS

JOHN W. MCDONOUGH (CASSELL, 3)

 42 BRASS ACT After hitting a crucial three late in the Clippers' Game 4victory over Phoenix on Sunday, Sam Cassell calls attention to his huge, um,guts.

PHOTO

DAVID E. KLUTHO (PUJOLS)

PHOTO

DAVID BERGMAN (WESTBROOK)

  72  HIGH-STEPPIN'

Running back Brian Westbrook ran drills at the Eagles' minicamp, whichquarterback Donovan McNabb attended after recovering from herniasurgery.

THREE PHOTOS

GREG NELSON (PARKER); JUSTIN KASE CONDER/US PRESSWIRE (MARSHALL); DAVID CALLOW (FEDERER)