Lineup

NBA PLAYOFFS - CONFERENCE FINALS

36 THE EAST

Blue-collar forward Udonis Haslem has lit a fire under his flashier Heat teammates

By Ian Thomsen

40 THE WEST

Oklahoma City versus Dallas has the makings of a good old-fashioned border war

By Phil Taylor

44 HORSE RACING

THE PREAKNESS

Shackleford held on to win at Pimlico, spoiling the latest Triple Crown bid

By Tim Layden

46 PRO FOOTBALL

TIKI BARBER

The ex-Giants star wants to get back in the NFL—and get back at his critics

By L. Jon Wertheim

52 MOTOR SPORTS

THE INDY 500

Can this 100-year-old spectacle of speed and danger regain its roar?

By Charles Leerhsen

60 NHL PLAYOFFS

PUCK POSSESSION

No one can quantify it, but all agree it's essential to winning the Stanley Cup

By Brian Cazeneuve

BONUS

FRED WILPON

PAYS THE PRICE

Because of Bernie Madoff the Mets' owner could lose the team that he cherishes

By Tom Verducci

Page 64

Departments

2 Leading Off

8 Letters

11 Editor's Letter

12 Scorecard

How much is too much to know about ESPN?

20 Just My Type

Drew Brees leads the locked-out Saints

By Dan Patrick

23 Faces in the Crowd

24 Inside ...

• Boxing

A champ again at 46

• Golf

David Toms rallies

• Soccer

How to beat Barça

• Baseball

Five rising stars

74 Point After

Dick Ebersol's impact on what we watched

By Joe Posnanski

ON THE COVER Photograph by Heinz Kluetmeier

PHOTO

GREG NELSON (NBA)

Haslem (40) helped Miami grab home court advantage from the Bulls.

PHOTO

MICHAEL O'NEILL (WILPON)

PHOTO