0 comments by Jeff Garcia on 5/6/2014
Cross posted with permission from Project Spurs.com The San Antonio Spurs and Portland Trail Blazers will face off this Tuesday night in San Antonio for Game 1 of their second round postseason series. The Spurs are coming off a 4-3 series win over the Mavericks while the Blazers are coming off a 4-2 series win […]
0 comments by Philip Rossman-Reich
It is easy to take a superstar for granted. Their every night greatness makes the amazing mundane. The Playoffs often serve as a reminder of how great these players can be when they are forced to step up even with all the attention and focus placed on them. The performances are breathtaking. Sometimes it feels […]
0 comments by Philip Rossman-Reich on 5/5/2014
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5RrqMVdosE
Rumors that the Pacers were anywhere near back are largely overblown. Roy Hibbert? Not even close. Indiana? Not dominant at all.
Hibbert failed to score and failed to grab a rebound. This is a guy who is 7-foot-2!
That was actually important in this game as the Wizards dominated the glass 53-36 including 17 offensive rebounds. 17! Against one of the better defensive rebounding teams in the regular season. This is beginning to make no sense. Or whatever sense was left after the Pacers’ utter collapse in the second half of the season.
Bradley Beal scored 25 points to lead the way for the Wizards offensively. Washington trailed for only one possession early in the second quarter. The Wizards opened as much as an 18-point lead.
Paul George and George Hill each had 18 points to lead the Pacers. A late barrage of 3-pointers were nowhere near enough as Indiana fell into a 1-0 hole again.
0 comments by Philip Rossman-Reich
Doc Rivers has been the voice and pulse of the Clippers throughout this tumultuous week. He has at times kept his focus both on the court as the coach and on the organization for which he runs basketball operations. Rivers has been the leader for the organization. The public face speaking about the Donald Sterling […]
0 comments by Jeff Garcia
You know it was only a matter of time before “Saturday Night Live” weighed in on the Donald Sterling drama as only they can.
After NBA Commissioner banned Sterling for life and will try to get him to sell the Clippers, Sterling never had a press conference to give his side of the story. Until now.
Check out SNL’s skit of “Sterling” giving his thoughts on his action. Pure comedy.
“I think the Cavs actually might take a look at Boozer if the Bulls amnesty him and his $16.8 million salary for next season, though I don’t think it would be popular with fans. Mo Williams never wanted to leave Cleveland, but the Cavs really don’t need another small guard.”
—Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Cleveland Plain Dealer
Interesting answer from the esteemed Boyer during her mailbag over at Cleveland.com.
Carlos Boozer literally stabbed a blind man in the back according to some Cleveland fans. The story goes that Boozer had promised then-Cavaliers owner Gordon Gund he would re-sign with the Cavaliers in 2004 if they did not exercise their team option on him after the Cavaliers made him a second round pick. Boozer shined in those first few years. The Jazz threw around $30 million at him and he left.
There were sore feelings when Boozer first returned.
If the Bulls indeed do amnesty Boozer and move on from him and his contract, then the Cavaliers would be an interesting way to bring things full circle.
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0 comments by Philip Rossman-Reich on 5/4/2014
The game was over almost from the moment it started. The Spurs put the brakes to any thought of an 1-8 upset in the first round. It would not happen this time in Game Seven. Not a chance.
Tony Parker scored 32 points, dishing out only four assists. But that did not matter. He knifed his way through the Mavericks defense and cutting them apart. San Antonio broke out for 13 fast break points and made 10 of 24 3-pointers.
San Antonio won the first quarter 35-23 and the second quarter 33-23. The Spurs were up 30 points in the first half, let it slip to 14 and then opened up another 30 point lead. This one was not even close.
Dirk Nowitzki scored 22 points in his final game of the year. Dallas was emotional at the end, but had to accept the inevitability of this defeat. The Spurs were a train they could not avoid in the end.
0 comments by Philip Rossman-Reich
Game Sevens are rarely played this close and leave you wanting more. The way the Nets and Raptors have played during their 11 matchups this season, you would not mind seeing them play another seven games and expect it go 4-3 once again even in the opposite direction. These teams are that evenly matched. The […]
0 comments by Philip Rossman-Reich
Saturday was an unprecedented day in NBA history. For the first time ever, there were three Game 7s in one day. It was an incredible day of basketball.
Before the next set of Game 7s start relive an incredible day:
Pacers 92, Hawks 80
Thunder 120, Grizzlies 109
Clippers 126, Warriors 121
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFFCwosHQBA
Two more Game 7s tip off at 1 p.m. with the Raptors hosting the Nets.
0 comments by Philip Rossman-Reich
Golden State needed to find that one stop late in the game. The Clippers were certainly not stopping the Warriors as long as they were aggressive and patient on offense — with that little sense of urgency that comes from trailing late in a Game Seven. That stop would not come. Chris Paul rocketed past […]
0 comments by Philip Rossman-Reich on 5/3/2014
The game started with a major lineup shakeup. It had to with Zach Randolph’s suspension. Dave Joeger opted to go small with Tony Allen in the starting lineup in Randolph’s place rather than another post player. Memphis decided to change its character. The Grizzlies were actually pushing the pace and trying to outscore the Thunder. […]
0 comments by Philip Rossman-Reich
The magic for the Hawks had to end at some point. Shots clanked off the rim innocently for most of the game and every amount of effort was not going to make up for the fact the Hawks just could not get that damn ball into the basket for those pesky point things. When you […]
0 comments by Philip Rossman-Reich
The NBA Playoffs continue at 5:30 p.m. on TNT as the Pacers host the Hawks in the first of three Game 7s on Saturday to complete the first round. Before each game, we will have a quick preview of the upcoming game with a matchup to watch and a stat to chew on as you […]
0 comments by Philip Rossman-Reich
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_7WfEPQf2w
Damian Lillard came around a screen and fired as the buzzer sounded. Was there any doubt with the collection of clutch shots Lillard has hit in his short career?
The Rockets were late contesting and that was that. Seems to be the way the whole series went.
Jeremy Lin missed an open 3-pointer late in the game the would have forced a Game Seven and allowed the Blazers the chance to steal the game.
LaMarcus Aldridge had 30 points and 13 rebounds. Lillard had 25 points. James Harden awoke from his series-long shooting slumber with 34 points on 9-for-15 shooting. Dwight Howard had 26 points and 11 rebounds as Houston played a pretty good game.
The same problem happened as had been throughout the series. The Blazers knew how to close the game. The Rockets could not and they are out.
0 comments by Philip Rossman-Reich on 5/2/2014
Monta Ellis was getting wherever he wanted to go in the fourth quarter. Go under the screen, he would pull up for three. Go over and he had that unstoppable head of steam to get to the paint. As Dallas came back, opening the fourth quarter on a 14-2 run, Ellis went head to head […]
