A Ming Dynasty at Point for Warriors?

Scott Ostler in the San Francisco Chronicle: “Quandary: The Warriors say they need a true point guard but they’re fascinated by 7-foot-5 Yao Ming. His post play is suspect, but he can handle.

“If the Warriors get the No. 1 pick, which way to go? Solution: Draft Yao, play him at the point.”

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More Ostler: “The most exciting moment of the Yao workout run by P.J. Carlesimo came afterward, when Ming was eating lunch.

“Carlesimo overheard Ming say that his hot dog was too bland. So P.J. suggested, ‘Put some mustard on it,’ and Ming choked him.”

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Trivia time: Who is the Laker single-game leader in playoff field-goal percentage?

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Bitter: Bud Geracie in the San Jose Mercury News: “The list of [Warrior owner] Chris Cohan’s failings would fill this column, but failing to get Jerry West is the topper.

“I’m a big Chris Mullin fan, but as Garry St. Jean and Dave Twardzik have proved, this isn’t a job for a first-timer.”

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What a deal! The New York Knicks, who failed to reach the playoffs for the first time in 15 seasons, decided not to raise ticket prices after raising them every year since 1988.

Director Spike Lee, who paid $131,000 for two courtside seats at Madison Square Garden this season, told the New York Daily News: “That’s great. Now I can send my kid to college.”

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Thankful even now: Bob Molinaro of the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot asked former major league pitcher Chuck Stobbs, 73, about the titanic homer Mickey Mantle hit off him, which sailed over the roof at Washington’s old Griffith Stadium in 1953.

The 565-foot shot was one of the longest home runs recorded. Said Stobbs: “I’m just glad he didn’t hit it back at me.”

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Road worrier: Jim Armstrong in the Denver Post: “Mike Hampton had a nice outing the other day [at Coors Field] against the Pirates, but we’ll let you know when he’s out of the woods. Fact: In three starts on the road, he has allowed opposing hitters a .424 average. To put that number in perspective, Rogers Hornsby hit .424 in 1924, the highest batting average in baseball history.”

Sure enough, Hampton allowed six runs and eight hits in six innings Sunday in a 7-4 loss at Philadelphia.

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He flunks history: Blackie Sherrod in the Dallas Morning News: “After his Hawaii training camp, the scholar [Mike] Tyson lectured reporters on Niccolo Machiavelli, no less: ‘He’s way ahead of his time. I think he’s the most sophisticated writer since Shakespeare.’

“Pardon, Prof. Tyson, but Mr. Machiavelli preceded Mr. Shakespeare. But only by a century.”

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Looking back: On this day in 1940, the Brooklyn Dodgers became the first National League team to travel by air, flying in two planes from St. Louis to Chicago.

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Trivia answer: Wilt Chamberlain, 1.000 (nine for nine), against Atlanta on April 17, 1969.

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And finally: Rick Morrissey in the Chicago Tribune: “Yao Ming is going to be a force in the NBA. And the Bulls should choose him if the lottery balls bounce their way.

“Bill Cartwright can teach Yao the Tao of the paint, and Jerry Krause, international man of mystery, can take credit for Yao’s very existence.”

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Mal Florence