Brooklyn Nets Lionel Hollins less a heavyweight coach than before

It started with inactivity the year he spent away from coaching.  Lionel Hollins admits that while offering commentary during the 2013-14 season, his weight ballooned a bit. So like a lot of us, he did the natural thing and sent Rachel Ray a letter. It worked, as Tim Bontemps reports.

It was so successful — Hollins went from 240 down to 218 — that he’s now going to continue on the diet to try to lose at least another 10 pounds over the next few weeks.

"Before I was out of [coaching for the 2013-14 season], I was about 225," Hollins said last week after taping the show, which will air in New York Friday at 10 a.m. on Channel 7. "And then I ballooned up doing nothing. So I got the letter to her."

Now, Hollins, a big fan of Ray's, wants to go further, get down to 210 before the season begins. "It’ll be nice to get to 210," he said, before adding with a smile, "That’s right on the cusp of 205."

• How Rachael Ray helped Lionel Hollins lose 22 pounds — and counting - Tim Bontemps - New York Post