Sabonis Fires Shots at Dunleavy

Portland Trail Blazer center Arvydas Sabonis had harsh words for his teammates and said Coach Mike Dunleavy should have been fired much earlier for failing to control his players.

“There aren’t players on the Portland team, just names earning millions,” Sabonis said Thursday while visiting his hometown of Kaunas, Lithuania.

Sabonis said Dunleavy didn’t “bring the team’s stars down to planet Earth, and should have been fired midseason.”

Sabonis, who earned $11.25 million in the last year of a three-year contract, would not speculate about his future with the team.

Stung by losing Game 3 of their playoff series to the Toronto Raptors, the Philadelphia 76ers will make a change today for Game 4, moving Aaron McKie into the starting lineup in place of Eric Snow.

“Even when they won in Game 2, they seemed to be bickering with each other over some of the plays that were being called,” Toronto center Antonio Davis said. “To me, that’s a sign of weakness. If they’re not together now, when are they going to come together?”

Sam Cassell, who injured his ribs in Game 2 of Milwaukee’s Eastern Conference semifinal series against Charlotte, said there’s no way he’ll miss Game 4 today.

“I’d have to have a gunshot wound to my head not to play,” Cassell said. “I’ll take the pain.”

Charlotte’s Derrick Coleman missed his second consecutive day of practice because of a strained lower back, but Coach Paul Silas said he expects Coleman to dress for today’s game.

The NBA is encountering backlash in Memphis, Tenn., over its plan to have taxpayers foot the bill for a $250-million arena that would house the Vancouver Grizzlies.

Signs for and against the Grizzlies relocating to Memphis have created a growing roadside debate. Critics of public financing have issued 1,000 red-and-white “No Taxes NBA” signs. Boosters have 4,000 blue-and-white “NBA Now” signs.

Some people have taken the “NBA Now” signs and whited out the “w” so the sign reads “NBA No.”