Boston is attempting to return to normalcy after Monday's tragic bombing at the Boston Marathon. The heart of the nation has been hanging heavily thinking about the senseless events that have left hundreds injured and three dead.

The Celtics' game against the Pacers at TD Garden on Tuesday was canceled and the Celtics traveled in earnest to Toronto to conclude their season before the Playoffs. Boston will be in New York for the first two games of the Playoffs and will not be able to play in front of their home fans in what will surely be an emotional game until possibly next weekend.

Sports can only provide a distraction and an escape from the tragedy at hand. It can also be a way for a community to rally together and show strength. That is how Boston has used the first Red Sox and Bruins games since the tragedy. These events are not going to break that city, and to a larger extent this country.

There are still plenty of need.

We are a basketball blog and there is little we can do to help aside from provide a distraction and raise money for relief efforts.

That is what the crew over at Project Spurs is doing. They have connected with several NBA artists who have agreed to donate all proceeds from the sale of their prints in April toward Boston relief funds. There are some incredible prints to choose from and they are really great pieces for basketball fans to own.

Always the cut up, Lakers' Dwight Howard was back at it again before they face the Rockets on the team's final home regular season game.

Speaking to the media, Howard gave a rousing "300" movie-speech which including shout outs to Dr. Buss, injured Kobe Bryant, yelling for Pau Gasol to put his "big boy" pants on and of course, gave the infamous "This is Sparta!" chant.

If you are a Lakers fan you like Howard is feeling relaxed but you still want him to be super-focused heading into the postseason sans Bryant.

Like CC on Facebook

Follow CC on Twitter

I don't think that Doc Rivers is afraid of anything, especially the Knicks

During his successful playing and coaching careers in the NBA, Doc Rivers has heard plenty of criticism, something to be expected as the head coach of a high-profile team like the Celtics for almost 10 years and as a player for the Knicks (from 1992-94) in the biggest city in the United States with the most rabid fans.

Simply put, Glenn "Doc" Rivers has put up with a lot of crap during his nearly 30-year NBA experience. And in that time, he has mastered the art of using said criticisms to motivate himself and his teams by saying his own out-of-the-box things as well.

In no season more than the current, Doc has heard pundits from around the country bash his Celtics squad -- decimated by injury -- for a perceived lack of effort and noted abscence of execution from his players.

Coming into the 2012-13 season, Boston -- although an aging squad still dealing with the loss of certain Hall-of-Famer Ray Allen -- was projected by many to win the East's Atlantic Division over the 76ers (who fell off a cliff this year with Andrew Bynum, the Knicks (who have stunned the NBA to win the division) and the upstart Nets (who are firmly settled into the No. 4 seed) who have thrived after escaping the wet blanket on success that was Newark and East Rutherford.

But, as is always seen in the NBA, things did not work out according to plan. And the Celtics have had a dismal season by Celtics standards, currently sitting at 41-39 with a looming 2/7 playoff matchup with the Knicks.

With the best record in the Western Conference all wrapped up, the Oklahoma City Thunder do not have anything to play for with the Milwaukee Bucks coming to town tonight. The same cannot be said for Kevin Durant, who had a (very slim) shot at winning his fourth consecutive scoring title.

Rather than risk injury and try to score as much as possible, Durant will be sitting out the last game of the regular season. He posted a picture to his Instagram earlier today that said, “SITTING OUT TONIGHT’S GAME, if you disappointed I didn’t try to go for the scoring title, oh well!!”

Durant will surely hear a few jeers from people who wanted to see him give it a shot, but keep in mind that he would have had to score 70 points to take over the top spot from Carmelo Anthony. Anthony will also be sitting out tonight, meaning he will finish with 28.7 points per game this season, compared to Durant’s 28.1.

It is a very anti-climactic ending to a season-long battle.

In an ideal world, since the Knicks and Thunder start at the same time tonight, the two would be tied going into tonight, they would both play, and both battle it out to add some excitement to a mostly boring night of inconsequential basketball (aside from a few final playoff spots). Actually, in a SUPER ideal world, the Knicks and Thunder would be playing each other tonight, Durant and ‘Melo would be tied and both teams would have something to play for. Alas, that’s not the case.

Anthony played in 14 fewer games this season than Durant because of injury. You can make the argument that is a little unfair, but who is to say Anthony wouldn’t have scored 40-plus in all of those games? Anthony closed out the season strong, averaging 36.1 points per game over his last eight games to pass Durant and take his first ever scoring title.

While I am sure both of these guys would trade the individual award for an NBA Championship, it is a nice piece of hardware to add to the shelf.

Like CC on Facebook

Follow CC on Twitter

Tracy McGrady once scored 13 points in 30 seconds against the San Antonio Spurs. It was one of the most breath-taking and amazing scoring performances in NBA history. The fact that it happened against the vaunted Spurs defense on national TV made it all the more amazing.

Things are perhaps coming full circle now. McGrady will try to get out of the first round for the first time in his career and join the Spurs for their Playoff run, signing a contract through the end of the season Tuesday with the Spurs.

At his peak, McGrady was an unstoppable scoring force and someone the defense had to pick up at midcourt. He would smoothly glide his way through defenses and pull up for a silky smooth jumper that no one could defend. He was breathtaking to watch.

Knee injuries sapped away his athletic ability and derailed his career in one of the most tragic cases of a body robbing a talented player and he faded into obscurity. Despite his willingness to play, no NBA team came calling this season after he averaged 5.3 points per game in about 16 minutes per game in 52 appearances with the Hawks last year.

It was clear McGrady was not the player he once was, but at 33, you figure he has to have something left in the tank.

With the 2012-13 NBA season wrapping up and the playoffs just days away, the kind folks over at Fox Sports Radio 1037 The Game in Louisiana invited your truly to talk what else... the NBA.

From Kobe Bryant's injury affecting the Lakers, the 2013 NBA Draft to the Spurs signing Tracy McGrady, we cover it all during this interview.

Crossover would like to thanks the fellas at The Game for the invite and make sure you visit their website for more great NBA and sports coverage.

Like CC on Facebook

Follow CC on Twitter

If you grew up in the 1990s, one song just means basketball. That would the NBA on NBC theme song or "Roundball Rock" by John Tesh.

Just like the theme song for the Masters, however, there were originally lyrics to Roundball Rock. And I think you will agree with John Tesh that they added something to the song.

Oh wait, no they don't.

Good take by Saturday Night Live. We are always down for some Roundball Rock.

Like CC on Facebook

Follow CC on Twitter

The Spurs pretty much called it a season last night when they faced the Warriors as they sat Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Kawhi Leonard. Add the fact they also did not have Boris Diaw nor Manu Ginobili both out with injuries, it pretty much meant a loss for the Spurs and a nice win for the Warriors.

So with most of the Spurs out of action, it meant much playing time for the bench players for San Antonio such as guard Gary Neal.  However, on a night where Warriors' Stephen Curry was just on fire, finishing the night with 35 points and seven made 3-pointers, perhaps Neal wished he was left on the bench considering he had the unenviable task of guarding Curry.

Check out Curry putting on a dribbling-clinic on Neal and adding insult to injury by nailing the shot. Neal just looks like he gives up towards the end of this sequence.

Like CC on Facebook

Follow CC on Twitter

There is no denying that Cleveland's All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving is the next point to carry the premier point guard mantle for years to come.

This season, the second year pro is currently averaging 22 points, 5.8 assists, 3.7 rebounds and shooting 45% from the field in 57 games for the Cavs. Not only that, he made the 2013 All-Star East squad this season.

He is dynamic, quick, crafty, electrifying and can light up the scoreboard in any game.

Check out Kyrie's best highlights of the season in a "Phantom" montage.

Like CC on Facebook

Follow CC on Twitter

Not long after Kobe Bryant was injured, a lot of people started wondering out loud whether the Los Angeles Lakers should use their amnesty clause on Kobe Bryant, shedding the gigantic $30 million price tag off their salary cap figure for next season.  The thought was it's Kobe's final year of his current deal and he likely wouldn't play next season, so there's no harm in cutting him lose to save the team $30 million in cap space not to mention another $50 million or so in luxury tax penalty.  The luxury tax penalty is something to consider to be sure, but waiving Kobe Bryant would do very little by itself to improve the Lakers' on the court product next season.

According to Mark Deeks of ShamSports, the Lakers have $79 million committed in salary next season.  So cutting Bryant's $30 million would move them all the way down to $49 million.  However, that figure does not include the max contract that Dwight Howard will command in free agency.  That number will be north of $20 million a year and Howard is not giving the Lakers any sort of home town discount.  If the Lakers can't get their payroll under $70 million a year including Howard's contract, then they'll only be able to use a $3 million a year mid-level exception instead of a $5 million a year.  The Lakers also aren't going to sign any other long term deals that's going to screw with the massive amounts cap space they have for the summer of 2014, AKA potentially the summer of LeBron, Wade and Bosh 2.0 (not mention possibly Carmelo Anthony).