... about the NBA:
1. The blowout series continues. Miami and Atlanta continued a perplexing back-and-forth of double-digit victories Friday, when it was the Heat's turn to come up with a 26-point, 98-72 win. Dwyane Wade was the catalyst, ignoring a sore back to score a playoff-high 41 points. Michael Beasley had his best game of the playoff as well, scoring 22 points and snaring 15 rebounds, key to Miami's 47-35 advantage on the boards. The Heat shot 47 percent to Atlanta's 37 percent, as Josh Smith, Maurice Evans and Flip Murray endured poor shooting nights for the Hawks. Murray was still one of three Hawks in double-figures, led by Mike Bibby's 20-point, seven-rebound performance. Joe Johnson, who might have had a better night had he gotten to the foul line more than once, and Murray had 13 points apiece. Injuries again played a factor as each team was without its starting center, with Al Horford nursing a sprained ankle and Jermaine O'Neal dealing with a concussion he suffered late in Game 5. The teams had already had to replace their small forwards, and this time little-used Solomon Jones slid into the pivot for the Hawks while the Heat went with Joel Anthony, who started 28 games earlier this season. Both played reasonably well, with Jones going 3-for-4 with 6 points and five rebounds while Anthony went 3-for-3, with six points and eight rebounds. Horford and O'Neal could return for Game 7, and small forward Marvin Williams came back for a five-minute cameo off the bench Friday. Whoever gets the most out of their hobbled players, like Miami did Friday with Wade, has the advantage Sunday for Game 7.
2. The Rockets will present a unique challenge for the Lakers when their series starts Monday. Houston is a long, athletic team that can play lock-down defense, while the L.A. is long, athletic and offensively oriented. Plenty of attention will be focused on the post, where the Lakers will miss out on their ability to change the look against Yao Ming from time to time unless Andrew Bynum can return to form. Pau Gasol is the lone option at this point, but it's not a bad one. He can match if not beat the production of Yao on most nights. The only drawback is that Gasol probably doesn't have the strength to harass Yao and deny him position, which, if it happened, would drastically affect Houston's game. The power forward matchup gives the defensive edge to Luis Scola, at least down low. Odom's superior athleticism makes him a better perimeter defender, but unless there's a switch he's unlikely to guard outside. Scola is the kind of rugged player who can give Odom fits if he's not focused. The wing matchups are all about Kobe. The Rockets have Shane Battier, who was NBA All-Defensive Second Team last year, and Ron Artest, the 2004 Defensive Player of the Year. They'll take their turns guarding the Laker superstar, with Trevor Ariza likely assigned to Ron Artest while Kobe marks Shane Battier on the other. The Rockets have the weapons to keep Kobe in check, but they'll have to keep him well below average offensively to make up for the lack of offensive production Battier and Artest usually provide, Artest's 27 in Game 6 against Portland notwithstanding. Aaron Brooks outdueled a savvy veteran in the first round and finds himself facing another in the second. Derek Fisher has been slumping and the Lakers could use his defense and shooting touch to counter Brooks, who was a force at times against Portland. The battle of the benches could come down to who has the best shooting touch. The instant offense of Von Wafer or Sasha Vujacic could turn a game or two in the series. The Rockets have a couple of bruisers in Carl Landry and Chuck Hayes who can push around Andrew Bynum, if he's not ready, or Josh Powell, if he's not up to their physicality. Luke Walton, who tore the deltoid ligament in his left ankle late in the Utah series, could return as soon as Game 1 against the Rockets, and gives the Lakers a veteran forward who adds to their depth and can give L.A. much needed blue-collar work. There's little doubt the Lakers will need to display the toughness against Houston that they didn't show against Boston in last year's finals. It will be a challenge, but the Rockets, of course, aren't as good as those Celtics, and the Lakers, with a Hall of Fame coach like Phil Jackson, have undoubtedly learned their lesson. Prediction: Lakers in 7.
Schedule
Game 1 - Mon May 4 Houston at L.A. Lakers 10:30PM TNT
Game 2 - Wed May 6 Houston at L.A. Lakers 10:30PM TNT
Game 3 - Fri May 8 L.A. Lakers at Houston 9:30PM ESPN
Game 4 - Sun May 10 L.A. Lakers at Houston 3:30PM ABC
Game 5 * Tue May 12 Houston at L.A. Lakers TBD TNT
Game 6 * Thu May 14 L.A. Lakers at Houston TBD ESPN
Game 7 * Sun May 17 Houston at L.A. Lakers TBD TBD
Lineups
Los Angeles Lakers
Starters
PG Derek Fisher
SG Kobe Bryant
SF Trevor Ariza
PF Lamar Odom
C Pau Gasol
Bench
G Sasha Vujacic
G Shannon Brown
PG Jordan Farmar
C Andrew Bynum
PF Josh Powell
C D.J. Mbenga
Injuries
SF Luke Walton (torn deltoid ligament in left ankle; could return for Game 1)
Houston Rockets
Starters
PG Aaron Brooks
SG Ron Artest
SF Shane Battier
PF Luis Scola
C Yao Ming
Bench
SG Von Wafer
PF Carl Landry
PG Kyle Lowry
G/F Brent Barry
PF Chuck Hayes
PF Brian Cook
SG James White
Injuries
SG Tracy McGrady (out, knee)
C Dikembe Mutombo (out, knee)
3. Here's a look at the schedule for the weekend:
Saturday
Chicago at Boston, Game 7, 8 p.m. TNT
Sunday
Miami at Atlanta, Game 7, 1 p.m. ABC
Dallas at Denver, Game 1, 3:30 p.m. ABC
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Friday, May 1, 2009
Three random observations ...
... about the NBA:
Just as a note, if this entry looks a little short, I wanted to get something about the thriller in Chicago up as quickly as possible, because the game deserves it. I'll fill in with my other two observations later today. (And now we have the post in full.)
1. Wow. Just when you thought the Bulls-Celtics series couldn't get any better, it did. The two teams have now played seven overtime periods after the Bulls won 128-127 Thursday in triple OT. Add up all of the scores and throw out the blowout in Game 3, and the two teams are separated by just one point. This evenly matched affair has produced some of the greatest drama we've ever seen on hardwood, and will go down as the best first-round series ever if Game 7 is even remotely competitive. It's made stars out of guys like John Salmons, who languished in obscurity in Philadelphia and Sacramento before coming to Chicago via midseason trade and finding himself in this barnburner. Salmons has for most of his career played a supporting role and he's come off the bench more often than he's started, but Thursday he was the main option for the Bulls, scoring 35 points in a whopping 60 minutes of playing time. Derrick Rose, a rookie, has blossomed, too, and he delivered a 28-point, eight-rebound, seven assist performance. Brad Miller, another player the Bulls acquired in that trade deadline deal with Sacramento, had 23 points and 10 rebounds off the bench, playing all kinds of clutch minutes. The Celtics, of course, have their share of established stars, none who shone more brilliantly than Ray Allen, who had a playoff career high 51 points and tied his own record for most three-pointers in a postseason game with nine. But no one ever expected Glen Davis would play as well as he has in this series when he came into the league, and Thursday he went for 23 points and seven rebounds, not bad for an injury replacement in the starting lineup. Rajon Rondo's stock is rising even on an off night. He struggled through a 4-for-17 shooting night, but still dished out 19 assists and pulled down nine rebounds, winding up just a board and a bucket shy of his third triple-double of the series. Paul Pierce, Kendrick Perkins, Joakim Noah and Tyrus Thomas played brilliant games as well in a night that was just loaded with stellar performances. If you're even a passing fan of the NBA and you're not totally psyched for Game 7, check your pulse to make sure you still have one.
2. The maturation of the Orlando Magic reached a significant milestone Thursday. They proved they could easily handle the pressure of a big game without having Dwight Howard to fall back upon in a surprising 114-89 destruction of Philadelphia to close out a 4-2 series victory. Too often the Magic haven't supported their superstar when he was in the lineup, but without him, it oddly seemed almost too easy. A team with Howard, suspended after an elbow to Samuel Dalembert in Game 5, and Courtney Lee, out indefinitely with a fractured left sinus cavity, would look even better if Rashard Lewis showed up every night the way he did Thursday. Lewis went 11-for-22 from the floor, scored 29 points, grabbed seven rebounds and dished out five assists. Rafer Alston stepped to the fore as well, going 8-for-16 for 21 points and 10 assists. Marcin Gortat plugged the hole in the middle, clearing 15 rebounds and chipping in 11 points while former college basketball great J.J. Redick got the call at shooting guard, filling in admirably with 5-for-9 shooting and 15 points. Mickael Pietrus came off the bench to shoot 5-for-10 and score 14 points, as Orlando shot 54 percent as a team and held the Sixers to 41 percent from the floor. Philadelphia got precious little outside of Andre Miller, Andre Iguodala and Lou Williams, as Thaddeus Young's struggles continued in a 4-for-11, eight point night. Miller shot 7-for-13, scored 24 points and had seven rebounds and five assists, Iguodala had 20 points and six rebounds, and Williams had 17 points off the bench. The rest of the team scored just 28 points combined as it was clear the Magic were focused on both sides of the floor. If they can duplicate that effort with Howard back, there could be no stopping this team.
3. The right move may not have saved the Blazers, but the wrong one will no doubt haunt coach Nate McMillan all summer. Portland removed struggling 20-year-old rookie Nicolas Batum from the starting lineup Thursday in favor of another rookie, 24-year-old Rudy Fernandez, who had been a spark plug off the bench. Batum wound up scoring five points in three minutes, more than Fernandez had in 41 minutes of a 92-76 loss that closed out a 4-2 series win for Houston. McMillan elected to keep his other option at small forward, Travis Outlaw, coming off the bench where he's been successful, but he did little better than Fernandez, shooting 2-for-9 for nine points. The only Blazers to score in double-figures were LaMarcus Aldridge, with 26, and Brandon Roy, who had 22 in a disappointing end to the first playoff appearance of a promising young team. It was Houston that was thought to have trouble scoring, but defense, as it often does this time of year, won out. It helped that the Rocket guards have been hot, and Thursday it was Ron Artest's turn. He was aggressive on offense, mixing drives, midrange jumpers and three-point bombs to score a game-high 27. Aaron Brooks went 5-for-11 for 13 points, complemeting Yao Ming's solid inside play for 17 points and 10 rebounds. They'll need to score a bit more to topple the Lakers in next round's clash of styles. The Rockets can only slow the pace so much against the NBA's third-best scoring team in the regular season, a team with much more refined weaponry than the Blazers could deploy. Advancing past the first round was an accomplishment for a franchise that hadn't done so since 1997, but the next barrier will be significantly harder to scale.
Just as a note, if this entry looks a little short, I wanted to get something about the thriller in Chicago up as quickly as possible, because the game deserves it. I'll fill in with my other two observations later today. (And now we have the post in full.)
1. Wow. Just when you thought the Bulls-Celtics series couldn't get any better, it did. The two teams have now played seven overtime periods after the Bulls won 128-127 Thursday in triple OT. Add up all of the scores and throw out the blowout in Game 3, and the two teams are separated by just one point. This evenly matched affair has produced some of the greatest drama we've ever seen on hardwood, and will go down as the best first-round series ever if Game 7 is even remotely competitive. It's made stars out of guys like John Salmons, who languished in obscurity in Philadelphia and Sacramento before coming to Chicago via midseason trade and finding himself in this barnburner. Salmons has for most of his career played a supporting role and he's come off the bench more often than he's started, but Thursday he was the main option for the Bulls, scoring 35 points in a whopping 60 minutes of playing time. Derrick Rose, a rookie, has blossomed, too, and he delivered a 28-point, eight-rebound, seven assist performance. Brad Miller, another player the Bulls acquired in that trade deadline deal with Sacramento, had 23 points and 10 rebounds off the bench, playing all kinds of clutch minutes. The Celtics, of course, have their share of established stars, none who shone more brilliantly than Ray Allen, who had a playoff career high 51 points and tied his own record for most three-pointers in a postseason game with nine. But no one ever expected Glen Davis would play as well as he has in this series when he came into the league, and Thursday he went for 23 points and seven rebounds, not bad for an injury replacement in the starting lineup. Rajon Rondo's stock is rising even on an off night. He struggled through a 4-for-17 shooting night, but still dished out 19 assists and pulled down nine rebounds, winding up just a board and a bucket shy of his third triple-double of the series. Paul Pierce, Kendrick Perkins, Joakim Noah and Tyrus Thomas played brilliant games as well in a night that was just loaded with stellar performances. If you're even a passing fan of the NBA and you're not totally psyched for Game 7, check your pulse to make sure you still have one.
2. The maturation of the Orlando Magic reached a significant milestone Thursday. They proved they could easily handle the pressure of a big game without having Dwight Howard to fall back upon in a surprising 114-89 destruction of Philadelphia to close out a 4-2 series victory. Too often the Magic haven't supported their superstar when he was in the lineup, but without him, it oddly seemed almost too easy. A team with Howard, suspended after an elbow to Samuel Dalembert in Game 5, and Courtney Lee, out indefinitely with a fractured left sinus cavity, would look even better if Rashard Lewis showed up every night the way he did Thursday. Lewis went 11-for-22 from the floor, scored 29 points, grabbed seven rebounds and dished out five assists. Rafer Alston stepped to the fore as well, going 8-for-16 for 21 points and 10 assists. Marcin Gortat plugged the hole in the middle, clearing 15 rebounds and chipping in 11 points while former college basketball great J.J. Redick got the call at shooting guard, filling in admirably with 5-for-9 shooting and 15 points. Mickael Pietrus came off the bench to shoot 5-for-10 and score 14 points, as Orlando shot 54 percent as a team and held the Sixers to 41 percent from the floor. Philadelphia got precious little outside of Andre Miller, Andre Iguodala and Lou Williams, as Thaddeus Young's struggles continued in a 4-for-11, eight point night. Miller shot 7-for-13, scored 24 points and had seven rebounds and five assists, Iguodala had 20 points and six rebounds, and Williams had 17 points off the bench. The rest of the team scored just 28 points combined as it was clear the Magic were focused on both sides of the floor. If they can duplicate that effort with Howard back, there could be no stopping this team.
3. The right move may not have saved the Blazers, but the wrong one will no doubt haunt coach Nate McMillan all summer. Portland removed struggling 20-year-old rookie Nicolas Batum from the starting lineup Thursday in favor of another rookie, 24-year-old Rudy Fernandez, who had been a spark plug off the bench. Batum wound up scoring five points in three minutes, more than Fernandez had in 41 minutes of a 92-76 loss that closed out a 4-2 series win for Houston. McMillan elected to keep his other option at small forward, Travis Outlaw, coming off the bench where he's been successful, but he did little better than Fernandez, shooting 2-for-9 for nine points. The only Blazers to score in double-figures were LaMarcus Aldridge, with 26, and Brandon Roy, who had 22 in a disappointing end to the first playoff appearance of a promising young team. It was Houston that was thought to have trouble scoring, but defense, as it often does this time of year, won out. It helped that the Rocket guards have been hot, and Thursday it was Ron Artest's turn. He was aggressive on offense, mixing drives, midrange jumpers and three-point bombs to score a game-high 27. Aaron Brooks went 5-for-11 for 13 points, complemeting Yao Ming's solid inside play for 17 points and 10 rebounds. They'll need to score a bit more to topple the Lakers in next round's clash of styles. The Rockets can only slow the pace so much against the NBA's third-best scoring team in the regular season, a team with much more refined weaponry than the Blazers could deploy. Advancing past the first round was an accomplishment for a franchise that hadn't done so since 1997, but the next barrier will be significantly harder to scale.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Three random observations ...
... about the NBA:
Before we get started, here's the schedule for the next couple of days:
Thursday
Boston at Chicago, Game 6, 7 p.m. TNT
Orlando at Philadelphia, Game 6, 7:30 p.m. NBATV
Portland at Houston, Game 6, 9:30 p.m. TNT
Friday
Miami at Atlanta, Game 6, 8 p.m. ESPN
1. The Heat-Hawks series is beginning to take on the look of a Heat-Knicks series from about 10 years ago. The slugfest, which had already seen the injury of both starting small forwards, sent two players to the locker room prematurely Wednesday, though one of them, Dwyane Wade, returned after taking a blow to the head. The other, Al Horford, left with a sprained right ankle in the second quarter and didn't come back. The Hawks had a 55-35 lead at the time of his exit and were never seriously challenged in a 106-91 victory. Joe Johnson was a major reason why, enjoying his best game of the series, scoring 25 points to go with six assists and six rebounds. He essentially matched the performance of Dwyane Wade, who shook off an 0-for-4 start, his head's painful meeting with the hardwood after a collision with Josh Smith, and an aching back. Wade had 29 points, four rebounds and four assists, but didn't receive the kind of help Johnson had. Three Hawks scored 20 points or more, including Johnson, Smith, who had 20 points, eight rebounds and four assists, and Flip Murray off the bench, who had 23 points and five rebounds. Atlanta claimed a 37-29 rebounding advantage even with Horford for the entire second half, as Jermaine O'Neal, who had been playing so well for much of the series, went to sleep inside. He scored just two of his 14 after halftime and pulled down a total of just three rebounds. The Heat will need him to wake up early for Game 6, when each team will need to get the most out of the healthy players it has left.
2. Chauncey Billups was the pre-eminent figure in Games 1 and 2, but by the end of the Hornets-Nuggets series, Carmelo Anthony had affixed his star squarely on Denver's first playoff series win in 15 years. Anthony scored 13 of his 34 points in the third quarter as the Nuggets used a 14-0 run to blow open what had been a tie game at the half and close out a 4-1 series victory with a 107-86 win. Anthony caught fire at about the same time J.R. Smith began launching and hitting from three-point range. Smith hit 5-for-8 from long range en route to 20 points off the bench, padding a 51 percent shooting night. The Hornets, in contrast, shot just 38 percent on a rough night for their backcourt. Chris Paul dished out 10 assists but shot just 5-for-16 for 12 points, while Rasual Butler was 0-for-4 from behind the arc and 3-for-11 total on a seven-point night. That negated a 24-point, nine-rebound performance by David West and a too-little, too-late appearance by offseason acquisition James Posey, who had 18 points off the bench. Tyson Chandler was out with swelling in his troublesome left ankle, but his absence seemed strictly academic. The Hornets were able to muster some pride after a record-tying 58-point loss in Game 4, but it was clear this group was done. They've already tried to dump Chandler, but that same ankle got in the way, so expect plenty of other parts to change, including coach Byron Scott. The Nuggets want nothing to change heading into their series with the Mavs, which should be an interesting clash of teams on a roll.
3. The Nuggets and Mavs appear an even match for the Western Conference Semifinals. Each team ended the regular season on a roll and carried that momentum into 4-1 series victories in the playoffs. The Mavs have followed their formula for victory, surrounding Dirk Nowitzki with enough scoring help to overwhelm defenses, while the Nuggets have alternated scoring explosions from Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups and J.R. Smith to post 49 percent shooting, the highest for any team in the playoffs. The Nuggets also gave up 39.6 percent shooting, a playoff low, although a 58-point blowout over a team in disarray like the Hornets is bound to skew some numbers. Still, its significant that while Dallas shot 46.3 percent, the Spurs shot nearly as well, which serves notice that Dallas will have trouble stopping Denver. The personnel matchups paint a somewhat different picture. Chauncey Billups doesn't have nearly the acceleration and quickness of Tony Parker and is similar stylistically to Jason Kidd, though Kidd doesn't have nearly the shooting touch Billups does. It will be interesting to see how George Karl and Rick Carlisle, two coaches who know how to set up a defense, use their wing players. The assumption is Dahntay Jones will slide over to guard Josh Howard, though that would leave Carmelo Anthony to track down the much smaller J.J. Barea. When Jason Terry comes in the game, though, Jones will probably be assigned to him. The onus will be on Howard to stop Anthony, which is asking a lot, unless Carlisle slides Dirk Nowitzki over from power forward, since Kenyon Martin isn't that much of a scoring threat at this stage of his career aside from offensive rebounds and putbacks. Erick Dampier will have to keep Nene from finding his scoring groove at center, but rebounding will be the key for both. The teams had two of the top three scoring benches in the league during the regular season, led by Smith and Terry,and it will be a pitched battle between Chris Anderson and Brandon Bass inside. Ultimately, the Nuggets' superior size may become the key issue unless Dallas can speed up the tempo. History does not bode well for a team looking to push the pace in the playoffs. Prediction: Nuggets in 6.
Lineups
Denver Nuggets
Starters
PG Chauncey Billups
SG Dahntay Jones
SF Carmelo Anthony
PF Kenyon Martin
C Nene
Bench
SG J.R. Smith
F Linas Kleiza
PG Anthony Carter
PF Chris Andersen
C/F Johan Petro
F Renaldo Balkman
PG Jason Hart
Dallas Mavericks
Starters
PG Jason Kidd
SG J.J. Barea
SF Josh Howard
PF Dirk Nowitzki
C Erick Dampier
Bench
SG Jason Terry
F/C Brandon Bass
SG Antoine Wright
PF James Singleton
G/F Gerald Green
SG Matt Carroll
C Ryan Hollins
SF Devean George
Schedule
Game 1 - Sun May 3 Dallas at Denver 3:30PM ABC
Game 2 - Tue May 5 Dallas at Denver 10:30PM TNT
Game 3 - Sat May 9 Denver at Dallas 5PM ESPN
Game 4 - Mon May 11 Denver at Dallas 9:30PM TNT
Game 5 * Wed May 13 Dallas at Denver TBD TNT
Game 6 * Fri May 15 Denver at Dallas TBD ESPN
Game 7 * Sun May 17 Dallas at Denver TBD TBD
Before we get started, here's the schedule for the next couple of days:
Thursday
Boston at Chicago, Game 6, 7 p.m. TNT
Orlando at Philadelphia, Game 6, 7:30 p.m. NBATV
Portland at Houston, Game 6, 9:30 p.m. TNT
Friday
Miami at Atlanta, Game 6, 8 p.m. ESPN
1. The Heat-Hawks series is beginning to take on the look of a Heat-Knicks series from about 10 years ago. The slugfest, which had already seen the injury of both starting small forwards, sent two players to the locker room prematurely Wednesday, though one of them, Dwyane Wade, returned after taking a blow to the head. The other, Al Horford, left with a sprained right ankle in the second quarter and didn't come back. The Hawks had a 55-35 lead at the time of his exit and were never seriously challenged in a 106-91 victory. Joe Johnson was a major reason why, enjoying his best game of the series, scoring 25 points to go with six assists and six rebounds. He essentially matched the performance of Dwyane Wade, who shook off an 0-for-4 start, his head's painful meeting with the hardwood after a collision with Josh Smith, and an aching back. Wade had 29 points, four rebounds and four assists, but didn't receive the kind of help Johnson had. Three Hawks scored 20 points or more, including Johnson, Smith, who had 20 points, eight rebounds and four assists, and Flip Murray off the bench, who had 23 points and five rebounds. Atlanta claimed a 37-29 rebounding advantage even with Horford for the entire second half, as Jermaine O'Neal, who had been playing so well for much of the series, went to sleep inside. He scored just two of his 14 after halftime and pulled down a total of just three rebounds. The Heat will need him to wake up early for Game 6, when each team will need to get the most out of the healthy players it has left.
2. Chauncey Billups was the pre-eminent figure in Games 1 and 2, but by the end of the Hornets-Nuggets series, Carmelo Anthony had affixed his star squarely on Denver's first playoff series win in 15 years. Anthony scored 13 of his 34 points in the third quarter as the Nuggets used a 14-0 run to blow open what had been a tie game at the half and close out a 4-1 series victory with a 107-86 win. Anthony caught fire at about the same time J.R. Smith began launching and hitting from three-point range. Smith hit 5-for-8 from long range en route to 20 points off the bench, padding a 51 percent shooting night. The Hornets, in contrast, shot just 38 percent on a rough night for their backcourt. Chris Paul dished out 10 assists but shot just 5-for-16 for 12 points, while Rasual Butler was 0-for-4 from behind the arc and 3-for-11 total on a seven-point night. That negated a 24-point, nine-rebound performance by David West and a too-little, too-late appearance by offseason acquisition James Posey, who had 18 points off the bench. Tyson Chandler was out with swelling in his troublesome left ankle, but his absence seemed strictly academic. The Hornets were able to muster some pride after a record-tying 58-point loss in Game 4, but it was clear this group was done. They've already tried to dump Chandler, but that same ankle got in the way, so expect plenty of other parts to change, including coach Byron Scott. The Nuggets want nothing to change heading into their series with the Mavs, which should be an interesting clash of teams on a roll.
3. The Nuggets and Mavs appear an even match for the Western Conference Semifinals. Each team ended the regular season on a roll and carried that momentum into 4-1 series victories in the playoffs. The Mavs have followed their formula for victory, surrounding Dirk Nowitzki with enough scoring help to overwhelm defenses, while the Nuggets have alternated scoring explosions from Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups and J.R. Smith to post 49 percent shooting, the highest for any team in the playoffs. The Nuggets also gave up 39.6 percent shooting, a playoff low, although a 58-point blowout over a team in disarray like the Hornets is bound to skew some numbers. Still, its significant that while Dallas shot 46.3 percent, the Spurs shot nearly as well, which serves notice that Dallas will have trouble stopping Denver. The personnel matchups paint a somewhat different picture. Chauncey Billups doesn't have nearly the acceleration and quickness of Tony Parker and is similar stylistically to Jason Kidd, though Kidd doesn't have nearly the shooting touch Billups does. It will be interesting to see how George Karl and Rick Carlisle, two coaches who know how to set up a defense, use their wing players. The assumption is Dahntay Jones will slide over to guard Josh Howard, though that would leave Carmelo Anthony to track down the much smaller J.J. Barea. When Jason Terry comes in the game, though, Jones will probably be assigned to him. The onus will be on Howard to stop Anthony, which is asking a lot, unless Carlisle slides Dirk Nowitzki over from power forward, since Kenyon Martin isn't that much of a scoring threat at this stage of his career aside from offensive rebounds and putbacks. Erick Dampier will have to keep Nene from finding his scoring groove at center, but rebounding will be the key for both. The teams had two of the top three scoring benches in the league during the regular season, led by Smith and Terry,and it will be a pitched battle between Chris Anderson and Brandon Bass inside. Ultimately, the Nuggets' superior size may become the key issue unless Dallas can speed up the tempo. History does not bode well for a team looking to push the pace in the playoffs. Prediction: Nuggets in 6.
Lineups
Denver Nuggets
Starters
PG Chauncey Billups
SG Dahntay Jones
SF Carmelo Anthony
PF Kenyon Martin
C Nene
Bench
SG J.R. Smith
F Linas Kleiza
PG Anthony Carter
PF Chris Andersen
C/F Johan Petro
F Renaldo Balkman
PG Jason Hart
Dallas Mavericks
Starters
PG Jason Kidd
SG J.J. Barea
SF Josh Howard
PF Dirk Nowitzki
C Erick Dampier
Bench
SG Jason Terry
F/C Brandon Bass
SG Antoine Wright
PF James Singleton
G/F Gerald Green
SG Matt Carroll
C Ryan Hollins
SF Devean George
Schedule
Game 1 - Sun May 3 Dallas at Denver 3:30PM ABC
Game 2 - Tue May 5 Dallas at Denver 10:30PM TNT
Game 3 - Sat May 9 Denver at Dallas 5PM ESPN
Game 4 - Mon May 11 Denver at Dallas 9:30PM TNT
Game 5 * Wed May 13 Dallas at Denver TBD TNT
Game 6 * Fri May 15 Denver at Dallas TBD ESPN
Game 7 * Sun May 17 Dallas at Denver TBD TBD
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Three random observations ...
... about the NBA:
1. Sometimes, when a couple of guys on a championship team decide they want to win, nothing can stop them. Rajon Rondo and Paul Pierce simply refused to go down Tuesday, powering Boston back from an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit to win 106-104 in the third overtime game of the series. The Celtics lead 3-2 because Rondo and Pierce scored 27 of the last 40 points for Boston, including Pierce's 15-footer to send the game to overtime and his eerily similar 20-footer to win it. He finished with 26 points and seven rebounds, while Rajon Rondo continued his remarkable play in the series, coming close to his third triple-double with 28 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds. The Bulls simply couldn't stop Rondo's penetration, which allowed the Celtics to have score nearly twice as many points in the paint. It is particularly remarkable that the Celtics won on a night when their bench only gave them five points and Ray Allen scored only 10. Glen Davis had his shooting touch, going 7-for-11 for 21 points and six rebounds, while Kendrick Perkins was a beast inside, scoring 16 points and grabbing 19 rebounds. Yet the Celtics were outrebounded 50-44, and Davis and Perkins were the only real help Pierce and Rondo had all night. The Bulls simply didn't get as many opportunities as Rondo was able to create for Boston, and a couple of Chicago's primary scoring weapons suffered through a tough shooting night. Ben Gordon went just 6-for-21 and John Salmons was 5-for-15. Gordon wound up with a team-high 26 points because he went 11-for-12 from the line, but one wonders if he could have had more if his strained left hamstring were fully healthy. The Bulls can wonder about what would have happened if a flagrant foul had been called on Rajon Rondo for his arm to the face on Brad Miller at the end of the game, too. But the series is not yet done, and they can do more than just ruminate Thursday in Game 6.
2. The Magic claimed the series advantage against the Sixers with a 91-78 win Tuesday in Game 5, but they may have lost as much as they gained. Dwight Howard had a phenomenal 24-point, 24-rebound game, but could be suspended for Game 6 because of an elbow he delivered to Samuel Dalembert in the first quarter. That was shortly before Howard inadvertently struck Courtney Lee in the head, a blow that forced Lee out for the rest of the night and could keep him out indefinitely. Hedo Turkoglu, who saved Orlando in Game 4, faded back into his late-season shooting woes, going 3-for-14 from the floor for nine points. Turkoglu's struggles made Howard's impressive double-double even more so. He was one of only three Magic players in double figures in any category. Rashard Lewis had by far his best shooting night of the playoffs so far, canning 9-for-16 from the field and 3-for-5 from behind the arc. Rafer Alston went toe-to-toe with Andre Miller, scoring 14 while dishing out four assists versus just one turnover. Miller had 17 points, six assists and four steals, while the Sixers were led by Andre Iguodala's 26 points. Willie Green added 16 points, but Philadelphia struggled to get scoring from everyone else, as the bench only chipped in six points. The major difference was on the boards, where once more Howard was the key in a 45-33 rebounding advantage for the Magic. Just about everyone in Magic blue will have to come up with a superhuman performance if Superman is unavailable Thursday.
3. It just wasn't happening for the Spurs this year, and Dallas made that abundantly clear in their first-round series. The normally ironclad San Antonio defense was a sieve, allowing 51 percent shooting and 10-for-20 from behind the arc Tuesday as the Mavs closed out a 4-1 series victory with a 106-93 win in Game 5. Six Mavs wound up in double-figures, none as prolific as Dirk Nowitzki, who had 31 points and nine rebounds. That Dallas was able to get at least competent support for their superstar was key to beating a team that was down to a one-two punch but little else. Tim Duncan had 30 points and eight rebounds, and Tony Parker put up 26 points and 12 assists, but that was about it. The Spurs shot a slightly better percentage from the field, but made just 3-for-16 from three-point range, negating the advantage. The series simply reinforces the importance of Manu Ginobili, and serves notice that the Mavs aren't too far removed from leading 2-0 in the 2006 Finals and the best record in the 2006-07 season. The top three weapons for Dallas, Nowitzki, Josh Howard and Jason Terry, remain from those teams. Don't rule out another deep run from this group.
1. Sometimes, when a couple of guys on a championship team decide they want to win, nothing can stop them. Rajon Rondo and Paul Pierce simply refused to go down Tuesday, powering Boston back from an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit to win 106-104 in the third overtime game of the series. The Celtics lead 3-2 because Rondo and Pierce scored 27 of the last 40 points for Boston, including Pierce's 15-footer to send the game to overtime and his eerily similar 20-footer to win it. He finished with 26 points and seven rebounds, while Rajon Rondo continued his remarkable play in the series, coming close to his third triple-double with 28 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds. The Bulls simply couldn't stop Rondo's penetration, which allowed the Celtics to have score nearly twice as many points in the paint. It is particularly remarkable that the Celtics won on a night when their bench only gave them five points and Ray Allen scored only 10. Glen Davis had his shooting touch, going 7-for-11 for 21 points and six rebounds, while Kendrick Perkins was a beast inside, scoring 16 points and grabbing 19 rebounds. Yet the Celtics were outrebounded 50-44, and Davis and Perkins were the only real help Pierce and Rondo had all night. The Bulls simply didn't get as many opportunities as Rondo was able to create for Boston, and a couple of Chicago's primary scoring weapons suffered through a tough shooting night. Ben Gordon went just 6-for-21 and John Salmons was 5-for-15. Gordon wound up with a team-high 26 points because he went 11-for-12 from the line, but one wonders if he could have had more if his strained left hamstring were fully healthy. The Bulls can wonder about what would have happened if a flagrant foul had been called on Rajon Rondo for his arm to the face on Brad Miller at the end of the game, too. But the series is not yet done, and they can do more than just ruminate Thursday in Game 6.
2. The Magic claimed the series advantage against the Sixers with a 91-78 win Tuesday in Game 5, but they may have lost as much as they gained. Dwight Howard had a phenomenal 24-point, 24-rebound game, but could be suspended for Game 6 because of an elbow he delivered to Samuel Dalembert in the first quarter. That was shortly before Howard inadvertently struck Courtney Lee in the head, a blow that forced Lee out for the rest of the night and could keep him out indefinitely. Hedo Turkoglu, who saved Orlando in Game 4, faded back into his late-season shooting woes, going 3-for-14 from the floor for nine points. Turkoglu's struggles made Howard's impressive double-double even more so. He was one of only three Magic players in double figures in any category. Rashard Lewis had by far his best shooting night of the playoffs so far, canning 9-for-16 from the field and 3-for-5 from behind the arc. Rafer Alston went toe-to-toe with Andre Miller, scoring 14 while dishing out four assists versus just one turnover. Miller had 17 points, six assists and four steals, while the Sixers were led by Andre Iguodala's 26 points. Willie Green added 16 points, but Philadelphia struggled to get scoring from everyone else, as the bench only chipped in six points. The major difference was on the boards, where once more Howard was the key in a 45-33 rebounding advantage for the Magic. Just about everyone in Magic blue will have to come up with a superhuman performance if Superman is unavailable Thursday.
3. It just wasn't happening for the Spurs this year, and Dallas made that abundantly clear in their first-round series. The normally ironclad San Antonio defense was a sieve, allowing 51 percent shooting and 10-for-20 from behind the arc Tuesday as the Mavs closed out a 4-1 series victory with a 106-93 win in Game 5. Six Mavs wound up in double-figures, none as prolific as Dirk Nowitzki, who had 31 points and nine rebounds. That Dallas was able to get at least competent support for their superstar was key to beating a team that was down to a one-two punch but little else. Tim Duncan had 30 points and eight rebounds, and Tony Parker put up 26 points and 12 assists, but that was about it. The Spurs shot a slightly better percentage from the field, but made just 3-for-16 from three-point range, negating the advantage. The series simply reinforces the importance of Manu Ginobili, and serves notice that the Mavs aren't too far removed from leading 2-0 in the 2006 Finals and the best record in the 2006-07 season. The top three weapons for Dallas, Nowitzki, Josh Howard and Jason Terry, remain from those teams. Don't rule out another deep run from this group.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Three random observations ...
... about the NBA:
1. The Hawks and Heat are just four games into the playoffs, but attrition has already set in. Both teams were missing their power forwards Monday, Marvin Williams out with a sprained right wrist for Atlanta and Jamario Moon strained a lower abdominal muscle for Miami. Dwyane Wade was hobbled by a sore back and what appeared to be a variety of other ailments in the second half, and struggled to a 9-for-26 shooting performance. Yet the Heat can't lay the blame on Wade, or Moon's absence for that matter, for their 81-71 loss that allowed Atlanta to pull even at two games apiece. Any team that shoots 38 percent, gets outrebounded 40-33 and gets a puny two points from its bench is bound to fail. Daequan Cook went scoreless in 23 minutes of play, Michael Beasley hit two free throws in 10 minutes and Yakhouba Diawara didn't attempt a shot in his six-minute appearance. The Heat's offensive woes extended to its starters, as Udonis Haslem went 2-for-8 for just four points and Mario Chalmers had four points and a single assist in 38 minutes. All of the offense came from Wade, who had a game-high 22 points and seven assists, Jermaine O'Neal, who scored 20, and James Jones, who replace Moon in the starting lineup and scored 19. The Hawks didn't exactly light up the scoreboard, but had a remarkably balanced attack, as seven players scored between 10 and 15 points. The only Hawk to see significant playing time and fail to reach double-digits in points was Al Horford, who was saddled with foul trouble and wound up with four points in 17 minutes. Atlanta's defense isn't usually as impenetrable as it was Monday, and for the Hawks to advance they'll need Horford to reverse his poor play on both ends against O'Neal the past three nights.
2. It may very well go down as the worst night of Chris Paul's career. The Nuggets jumped all over the Hornets early, opening up a 36-13 lead after the first quarter and never looking back in a 121-63 embarrassment of the Hornets. Paul struggled through 36 long minutes, shooting 2-for-7 for just four points, and committing just as many turnovers (six) as he had assists. No one found any sort of success for New Orleans, which finds itself down 3-1 headed to Denver for Game 5. The Nuggets outshot the Hornets 57 percent to 32 percent, and made 10 of 20 three-point shots compared to New Orleans' 2-for-15 performance behind the arc. Carmelo Anthony had 26 points, seven assists and six rebounds to lead seven Nuggets in double-figure scoring. The series, almost certain to end Wednesday in Denver, has starkly displayed the opposite direction in which each franchise is heading. The up-and-coming Hornets would have been favored over the disorganized Nuggets at the beginning of the year, but now it's New Orleans in disarray and Denver with a shot at going to the Finals.
3. Everyone knows the Lakers can score. The question as these playoffs go on is how well they can stop people. The kind of performance they delivered Monday should be their benchmark. It was by no means a stellar defensive effort, but it was enough to close out a 4-1 first round series victory over Utah in a 107-96 win. The Lakers held the Jazz to 40 percent shooting, and made it difficult for Utah's top three options. Deron Williams shot 4-for-12 for 14 points, Carlos Boozer was 3-for-8 for 10 points and Mehmet Okur went 2-for-9 en route to scoring eight. Lamar Odom's work on the glass, pulling down 15 boards, helped L.A. limit Utah's opportunities with a 50-43 rebounding advantage. Odom has had double-figure rebounds in the last three games as he has had no trouble adjusting back to the starting lineup. He had his best night of the series Monday, scoring 26 points, second only to Kobe's 31. Kobe began the series deferring so everyone could get involved, but he's been much more aggressive since his 5-for-24 showing in Game 3, breaking 30 points for the second time in a row Monday with 31 points. The Lakers have shown they can win whether or not Kobe is a ball-distributor or primarily looks to score. It's on the defensive end where their fate will be determined.
1. The Hawks and Heat are just four games into the playoffs, but attrition has already set in. Both teams were missing their power forwards Monday, Marvin Williams out with a sprained right wrist for Atlanta and Jamario Moon strained a lower abdominal muscle for Miami. Dwyane Wade was hobbled by a sore back and what appeared to be a variety of other ailments in the second half, and struggled to a 9-for-26 shooting performance. Yet the Heat can't lay the blame on Wade, or Moon's absence for that matter, for their 81-71 loss that allowed Atlanta to pull even at two games apiece. Any team that shoots 38 percent, gets outrebounded 40-33 and gets a puny two points from its bench is bound to fail. Daequan Cook went scoreless in 23 minutes of play, Michael Beasley hit two free throws in 10 minutes and Yakhouba Diawara didn't attempt a shot in his six-minute appearance. The Heat's offensive woes extended to its starters, as Udonis Haslem went 2-for-8 for just four points and Mario Chalmers had four points and a single assist in 38 minutes. All of the offense came from Wade, who had a game-high 22 points and seven assists, Jermaine O'Neal, who scored 20, and James Jones, who replace Moon in the starting lineup and scored 19. The Hawks didn't exactly light up the scoreboard, but had a remarkably balanced attack, as seven players scored between 10 and 15 points. The only Hawk to see significant playing time and fail to reach double-digits in points was Al Horford, who was saddled with foul trouble and wound up with four points in 17 minutes. Atlanta's defense isn't usually as impenetrable as it was Monday, and for the Hawks to advance they'll need Horford to reverse his poor play on both ends against O'Neal the past three nights.
2. It may very well go down as the worst night of Chris Paul's career. The Nuggets jumped all over the Hornets early, opening up a 36-13 lead after the first quarter and never looking back in a 121-63 embarrassment of the Hornets. Paul struggled through 36 long minutes, shooting 2-for-7 for just four points, and committing just as many turnovers (six) as he had assists. No one found any sort of success for New Orleans, which finds itself down 3-1 headed to Denver for Game 5. The Nuggets outshot the Hornets 57 percent to 32 percent, and made 10 of 20 three-point shots compared to New Orleans' 2-for-15 performance behind the arc. Carmelo Anthony had 26 points, seven assists and six rebounds to lead seven Nuggets in double-figure scoring. The series, almost certain to end Wednesday in Denver, has starkly displayed the opposite direction in which each franchise is heading. The up-and-coming Hornets would have been favored over the disorganized Nuggets at the beginning of the year, but now it's New Orleans in disarray and Denver with a shot at going to the Finals.
3. Everyone knows the Lakers can score. The question as these playoffs go on is how well they can stop people. The kind of performance they delivered Monday should be their benchmark. It was by no means a stellar defensive effort, but it was enough to close out a 4-1 first round series victory over Utah in a 107-96 win. The Lakers held the Jazz to 40 percent shooting, and made it difficult for Utah's top three options. Deron Williams shot 4-for-12 for 14 points, Carlos Boozer was 3-for-8 for 10 points and Mehmet Okur went 2-for-9 en route to scoring eight. Lamar Odom's work on the glass, pulling down 15 boards, helped L.A. limit Utah's opportunities with a 50-43 rebounding advantage. Odom has had double-figure rebounds in the last three games as he has had no trouble adjusting back to the starting lineup. He had his best night of the series Monday, scoring 26 points, second only to Kobe's 31. Kobe began the series deferring so everyone could get involved, but he's been much more aggressive since his 5-for-24 showing in Game 3, breaking 30 points for the second time in a row Monday with 31 points. The Lakers have shown they can win whether or not Kobe is a ball-distributor or primarily looks to score. It's on the defensive end where their fate will be determined.
Three random observations ...
... about the NBA:
1. The idea that the losses of Kevin Garnett and Leon Powe would catch up to the Celtics seemed quite distant in a Game 3 blowout. No one could have imagined Boston's lack of depth would be so apparent in Game 4. Boston's bench provided only 11 points compared to Chicago's 30, and once Kendrick Perkins fouled out with just over a minute left in regulation, and his replacement Brian Scalabrine fouled out in overtime, the Celtics had little left for double-overtime, where they succumbed 121-118 to fall into a 2-2 series tie. Rajon Rondo sat out for only three minutes en route to his second triple-double in three games, and Paul Pierce sat just six minutes while piling up a game-high 29 points. Every Bull had at least nine minutes of rest even though only seven players appeared for more than just a few seconds, as Chicago got solid contributions from each man. Rose nearly had a triple-double as well, with 23 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists. Everyone else who played had at least 18 points or double-figure rebounds, except Brad Miller, who had a not-too-shabby 12 points and five rebounds in 25 minutes. The Celtics were reliant on their starters, and Rondo, Pierce and Ray Allen in particular. They committed 21 turnovers and allowed 48 percent shooting, which can do in just about anyone. A special performance like the one Rondo had, with 25 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds, simply doesn't come around every night. The Celtics surely regret using it to stay in the game rather than applying it to a victory. There's no room for wasted brilliance in a series as close as this one.
1. The idea that the losses of Kevin Garnett and Leon Powe would catch up to the Celtics seemed quite distant in a Game 3 blowout. No one could have imagined Boston's lack of depth would be so apparent in Game 4. Boston's bench provided only 11 points compared to Chicago's 30, and once Kendrick Perkins fouled out with just over a minute left in regulation, and his replacement Brian Scalabrine fouled out in overtime, the Celtics had little left for double-overtime, where they succumbed 121-118 to fall into a 2-2 series tie. Rajon Rondo sat out for only three minutes en route to his second triple-double in three games, and Paul Pierce sat just six minutes while piling up a game-high 29 points. Every Bull had at least nine minutes of rest even though only seven players appeared for more than just a few seconds, as Chicago got solid contributions from each man. Rose nearly had a triple-double as well, with 23 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists. Everyone else who played had at least 18 points or double-figure rebounds, except Brad Miller, who had a not-too-shabby 12 points and five rebounds in 25 minutes. The Celtics were reliant on their starters, and Rondo, Pierce and Ray Allen in particular. They committed 21 turnovers and allowed 48 percent shooting, which can do in just about anyone. A special performance like the one Rondo had, with 25 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds, simply doesn't come around every night. The Celtics surely regret using it to stay in the game rather than applying it to a victory. There's no room for wasted brilliance in a series as close as this one.
2. Brandon Roy did just about everything he could to tie Portland's series with Houston on Sunday in Game 4. He had 31 points, five rebounds, five assists, three steals, three blocks and made all 13 of his free throws. Yet a sequence in the fourth quarter encapsulates how the Rockets were able to resiliantly stymie his every effort in an 89-88 victory that gives Houston a 3-1 advantage. Roy had suffered through his worst stretch of the game, turning the ball over three times and missing a jumper in five minutes after entering the game with 10:15 to go in the fourth. He responded by charging hard against Shane Battier, drawing the foul and making the free throw to give Portland an 80-79 lead with 5:03 left. Ron Artest tried to answer with a layup on the other end and missed, but Yao Ming got the rebound. He put it back up and missed, but Kyle Lowry was there to grab another rebound and try another shot. That missed, too, but Lowry got it back again and reset the offense. Artest found Battier for a three-pointer that gave Houston a two-point lead. Roy quickly answered with a trey of his own to reclaim the lead for the Blazers, and Artest tried to counter again. This time his miss was grabbed by Carl Landry, who once more allowed the Houston offense to reset. Artest found Battier one more time to give the Rockets the lead for good with 3:24 to play. The Rockets wound up with 16 offensive rebounds, seven of which came from Luis Scola, as those second-chance opportunities wound up burning Portland. Battier's 4-for-6 shooting from behind the arc was part of a 9-for-16 night from three-point territory for the Rockets. Extra effort and getting hot at the right time is a formula that's worked for a lot of teams, and may be enough to lift the Blazers into the second round.
3. Orlando's three-point shooting had seemingly abandoned the team once more, as the Magic shot 0-for-5 from beyond in the arc fourth quarter. That was until Hedo Turkoglu nailed a trey with 1.1 to go for a 84-81 victory Sunday to square the series with Philadelphia at 2-2. Turkoglu has struggled to start the postseason but in Game 4 came up with a playoff-high 17 points, seven of which came in the fourth quarter. That matched the total of Rashard Lewis, who kicked in seven rebounds to give Dwight Howard just enough support. Howard delivered 18 points and came down with 18 rebounds, nearly half the team's total of 37 boards. All five Magic starters scored in double figures, but the bench struggled to just four points. The Magic reserves lacked the spark that Lou Williams, with 11 points on nine shots, gave the Sixers. Philadelphia put all of its starters in double-figures, too, but Andre Iguodala failed to ignite an offense that produced merely 39 percent shooting, going 4-for-13 from the floor despite dishing out 11 assists and grabbing seven rebounds. Either team could have won the game handily if one of their primary scorers had a 25- or 30-point night. Yet Orlando in particular has to be pleased with the all-around effort, particularly because its a rare night they can get scoring from more than just Howard and one or two other guys.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Three random observations ...
... about the NBA:
1. It wasn't going to happen every night for Chauncey Billups. The Nuggets difference-making point guard failed to score 30 points, unlike in Games 1 and 2, and committed his first two turnovers of the series in a 95-93 loss Saturday to the Hornets in Game 3. Billups shot just 3-for-10 from the field, but didn't exactly have a poor afternoon, scoring 16 and adding seven rebounds and six assists. Carmelo Anthony wound up with 25 points and eight rebounds on a night when the Nuggets were solid but not spectacular as they had been. That allowed the role players for the Hornets, the sort of guys for whom home court always seems to make a difference, to push New Orleans to victory. Sean Marks had a surprising eight-point, six-rebound afternoon, and Rasual Butler canned three of his four shots from behind the arc to power a 17-point, five rebound performance. James Posey put up 13 points and nine rebounds and some nagging defense, and David West put up his customary 19 points and nine rebounds. It was all in support of Chris Paul, who was once more brilliant with 32 points and 12 assists. Getting help for Paul is critical for the Hornets, especially as they continue to endure the struggles of Peja Stojakovic, who went 1-for-9 for four points. Stojakovic's ill-advised three-point attempt with 34 seconds to go left the door open for the late-charging Nuggets. Carmelo Anthony scored seven points in a minute and a half and assisted on a J.R. Smith three-pointer as Denver closed from down 11 to within three points. They got within one with 25 seconds to play, but Anthony wound up with just an off-balance shot with four seconds left and a half-court three-pointer as time expired, neither of which went in the basket.
2. Maybe Tim Duncan and Tony Parker should get into doubles tennis. They'd find the sort of two-man game they were playing Saturday is a lot more effective in that sport than it was on the basketball court in Game 4 against the Mavericks. Parker tied George Gervin's 1978 postseason team record for most points in a half with 31 and wound up with 43 points, while Duncan had 25 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. The rest of the team scored only 22 points in a 99-90 loss that pushes San Antonio to the cusp of elimination. Gregg Popovich's insertion of Bruce Bowen into the starting lineup to replace Roger Mason provided little spark either offensively, where Bowen scored five points and Mason was scoreless in 17 minutes off the bench, or defensively, where Josh Howard got to the hoop consistently for 28 points. The Mavericks won for the second straight time without Dirk Nowitzki as their leading scorer, getting a throwback 17-point, seven assist and seven-rebound performance from Jason Kidd. Nowitzki had only 12 points, but grabbed 13 rebounds, key to a 49-35 advantage for Dallas on the boards. The Spurs outshot the Mavs 44 percent to 38 percent, but the extra possessions thanks to the rebounding edge, and the bench, which outscored San Antonio's 23-10, made up for it. It won't be easy against a team known for its toughness over the years, but the Mavs now have three chances keep the Spurs from the second round for the first time in 11 years.
3. There was no way Kobe was letting the Jazz off the hook the way he did in Game 3. He followed up a 5-for-24 shooting night with a 16-for-24 explosion for 38 points Saturday, as the Lakers stretched a seven-point halftime lead to 19 by the end of the third quarter in a 108-94 victory in Game 4. L.A. turned a rebounding deficit from Thursday into a 46-39 advantage thanks in large part to the 15 boards that Lamar Odom gave them in a return to the starting lineup. Andrew Bynum's disconcerting Game 3 performance led to his benching and sparing use Saturday, as he scored two points and committed two fouls in just seven minutes. He was hardly needed, however, as so many other Laker weapons were sharp on a 52-percent shooting night. Pau Gasol had 13 points and 10 rebounds, Shannon Brown came off the bench for 10 points, and Sasha Vujacic canned three treys for nine points. Deron Williams had 23 points and 13 assists in a gutsy 46-minute outing, and Carlos Boozer put up 23 points and 16 rebounds, but it was not enough for Utah to keep pace with hot-shooting L.A. Mehmet Okur returned from a hamstring injury but struggled, going scoreless in just 13 minutes. Add his inability to contribute in the playoffs to the long list of injuries that completely derailed the Utah season, which appears headed for its conclusion Monday in Game 5.
1. It wasn't going to happen every night for Chauncey Billups. The Nuggets difference-making point guard failed to score 30 points, unlike in Games 1 and 2, and committed his first two turnovers of the series in a 95-93 loss Saturday to the Hornets in Game 3. Billups shot just 3-for-10 from the field, but didn't exactly have a poor afternoon, scoring 16 and adding seven rebounds and six assists. Carmelo Anthony wound up with 25 points and eight rebounds on a night when the Nuggets were solid but not spectacular as they had been. That allowed the role players for the Hornets, the sort of guys for whom home court always seems to make a difference, to push New Orleans to victory. Sean Marks had a surprising eight-point, six-rebound afternoon, and Rasual Butler canned three of his four shots from behind the arc to power a 17-point, five rebound performance. James Posey put up 13 points and nine rebounds and some nagging defense, and David West put up his customary 19 points and nine rebounds. It was all in support of Chris Paul, who was once more brilliant with 32 points and 12 assists. Getting help for Paul is critical for the Hornets, especially as they continue to endure the struggles of Peja Stojakovic, who went 1-for-9 for four points. Stojakovic's ill-advised three-point attempt with 34 seconds to go left the door open for the late-charging Nuggets. Carmelo Anthony scored seven points in a minute and a half and assisted on a J.R. Smith three-pointer as Denver closed from down 11 to within three points. They got within one with 25 seconds to play, but Anthony wound up with just an off-balance shot with four seconds left and a half-court three-pointer as time expired, neither of which went in the basket.
2. Maybe Tim Duncan and Tony Parker should get into doubles tennis. They'd find the sort of two-man game they were playing Saturday is a lot more effective in that sport than it was on the basketball court in Game 4 against the Mavericks. Parker tied George Gervin's 1978 postseason team record for most points in a half with 31 and wound up with 43 points, while Duncan had 25 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. The rest of the team scored only 22 points in a 99-90 loss that pushes San Antonio to the cusp of elimination. Gregg Popovich's insertion of Bruce Bowen into the starting lineup to replace Roger Mason provided little spark either offensively, where Bowen scored five points and Mason was scoreless in 17 minutes off the bench, or defensively, where Josh Howard got to the hoop consistently for 28 points. The Mavericks won for the second straight time without Dirk Nowitzki as their leading scorer, getting a throwback 17-point, seven assist and seven-rebound performance from Jason Kidd. Nowitzki had only 12 points, but grabbed 13 rebounds, key to a 49-35 advantage for Dallas on the boards. The Spurs outshot the Mavs 44 percent to 38 percent, but the extra possessions thanks to the rebounding edge, and the bench, which outscored San Antonio's 23-10, made up for it. It won't be easy against a team known for its toughness over the years, but the Mavs now have three chances keep the Spurs from the second round for the first time in 11 years.
3. There was no way Kobe was letting the Jazz off the hook the way he did in Game 3. He followed up a 5-for-24 shooting night with a 16-for-24 explosion for 38 points Saturday, as the Lakers stretched a seven-point halftime lead to 19 by the end of the third quarter in a 108-94 victory in Game 4. L.A. turned a rebounding deficit from Thursday into a 46-39 advantage thanks in large part to the 15 boards that Lamar Odom gave them in a return to the starting lineup. Andrew Bynum's disconcerting Game 3 performance led to his benching and sparing use Saturday, as he scored two points and committed two fouls in just seven minutes. He was hardly needed, however, as so many other Laker weapons were sharp on a 52-percent shooting night. Pau Gasol had 13 points and 10 rebounds, Shannon Brown came off the bench for 10 points, and Sasha Vujacic canned three treys for nine points. Deron Williams had 23 points and 13 assists in a gutsy 46-minute outing, and Carlos Boozer put up 23 points and 16 rebounds, but it was not enough for Utah to keep pace with hot-shooting L.A. Mehmet Okur returned from a hamstring injury but struggled, going scoreless in just 13 minutes. Add his inability to contribute in the playoffs to the long list of injuries that completely derailed the Utah season, which appears headed for its conclusion Monday in Game 5.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)