NBA Playoffs Day 6: Go To Bed Everybody

8:02 pm – BREAKING NEWS

Embiid hasn’t been his usual dominant self in this series, although he played better in Game 2, where he nailed Jarrett Allen in the dome with an errant elbow. He laughed through an apology during the postgame press conference. THE DISRESPECT!

The Nets are unhappy about it, and there’s been some snipping between these teams ever since Game 2. Now, the Sixers have to go into Brooklyn and try to back it up without their best player.

For the Nets, important role player Jared Dudley is available after missing Game 2. It’s an important Game 3 tonight with this series tied and both teams sick of one another. Should be a feisty one.

Once again banished to NBA TV tonight is Game 3 between the Nuggets and Spurs. That one’s tied up after Jamal Murray’s Game 2 heroics. Denver struggled at home and needed Murray to save them from a 2-0 deficit. Now they’re down in San Antonio, one of the tougher places for visitors to win. That should be a good one as well, but I ain’t got no NBA TV, so Twitter dispatches will have to suffice.

In the late game, it’s another intriguing Game 3 between the Warriors and Clippers, fresh off their now legendary Game 2 which saw DeMarcus Cousins lost for the playoffs and Los Angeles pull off the greatest comeback in NBA playoff history. The Clippers home crowd will definitely be fired up, but this is the kind of game the Warriors usually ace to silence the critics.

Needless to say, it’s a scintillating trio of basketball games…

8:08 – We’re welcomed to Brooklyn by none other than tonight’s narrators, Spero Dedes and Greg Anthony. Ros Gold-Onwude is patrolling the sidelines.

8:11 – The Nets win the opening tip, and we’re underway in Brooklyn. D’Angelo Russell immediately drives to the hoop and misses a layup, but Joe Harris is there to clean it up and put it in the hoop for a 2-0 Brooklyn lead.

Jimmy Butler responds with a jumper on the Sixers first possession and we begin the evening tied at two.

8:14 – Jarrett Allen corrals a miss from D’Angelo Russell and puts it in the hoop, and we’ve got our first timeout with the score Brooklyn 9, Philadelphia 4 with 10:01 left in the first quarter. Joel Embiid’s absence is already being felt with the Nets grabbing three offensive boards already without him underneath the hoop to control the boards.

8:24 – Tobias Harris knocks down a jumper, and the Sixers have gotten into a bit of a groove here as we head into a timeout with the score Philadelphia 22, Brooklyn 19 with 5:05 left in the first quarter. The Nets are 7-13 to start the game, but the Sixers have surged to 10-14 shooting thus far.

8:32 – Ben Simmons misses a shot, but James Ennis is there for a rebound and put back as the Sixers continue to build their lead with the score Philadelphia 27, Brooklyn 19 with 2:43 left in the first quarter.

8:39 – We’re here at the end of the first quarter with the score Philadelphia 32, Brooklyn 24. D’Angelo Russell has seven points to lead the Nets, but they’re shooting just 9-24 from the floor. Ben Simmons leads the Sixers with eight, and overall, they’re shooting a much better 13-23.

At first, it looked like it was going to be a long night for the Sixers, with the Nets jumping on the offensive boards, but after that initial flurry, it’s been all Philadelphia. Still, the Nets are lurking in shouting distance, and if they can just settle down, and get some stops of course, they can get right back in it.

8:44 – A Jimmy Butler jumper gets the second quarter scoring started and pushes the Sixers lead up to ten, at 34-24.

8:45 – Caris LeVert gets into the paint and puts in a floater, and the he’s suddenly scored six straight points to send us into a timeout with the score Philadelphia 34, Brooklyn 30 with 10:33 left in the first half.

8:53 – Caris LeVert heads to the bench for a rest having scored all 14 Nets points in the second quarter so far. They trail, 40-38.

8:57 – An offensive foul on Boban Marjanovic sends us into a timeout with the score Philadelphia 47, Brooklyn 42 with 5:34 left until halftime. So far, the Sixers have been able to fend off the Nets.

9:06 – Spencer Dinwiddie gets to the hoop for a tough layup, but felt he was fouled, lets the ref know about it, and earns himself a technical foul. JJ Redick hits the free throw, and the Sixers lead, 58-49.

9:12 – We’re here at halftime with the score Philadelphia 65, Brooklyn 59.

Caris LeVert leads the Nets with 19 points, all of which came in the second quarter, as he personally kept things close. Jarrett Allen has 12 points and 6 rebounds without Joel Embiid to contend with, and D’Angelo Russell’s chipped in with 11.

Tobias Harris, after a quiet couple of games in Philadelphia, leads the Sixers with 16 points and 7 rebounds, and he’s shot a perfect 4-4 from downtown. Ben Simmons has 14 points and 5 assists on 6-7 shooting, and JJ Redick’s chimed in with 10.

The Sixers have done a good job without Embiid, getting some helpful minutes from Boban Marjanovic off the bench. However, the Nets have been able to keep it close. Every time the Sixers get their lead up to around double digits, the Nets battle back to remain within striking distance.

9:29 – Rodions Kurucs barrels to the hoop for a goofy layup, and we’ve got the first points of the third quarter, and they cut the Nets deficit down to 65-61.

9:32 – D’Angelo Russell gets to the foul line and huts a jumper, but Ben Simmons comes back with something resembling a skyhook to keep the Sixers in front, 69-64.

9:34 – The Sixers finish off a fast break with Ben Simmons finding Tobias Harris with a nice pass for a layup, plus a foul! Before Harris heads to the line for the old fashioned three point play, we’ll have a timeout with the score Philadelphia 77, Brooklyn 67 with 7:58 to go in the third. Throughout the game, every time the Sixers lead has approached similar levels, the Nets have fought back. Can they do so again, or are we in for a repeat of the Sixers epic third quarter the other night?

9:38 – DISPATCHES FROM SAN ANTONIO

Back in Philadelphia, Tobias Harris finishes off the three point play by hitting his free throw to get the Sixers lead up to 78-67.

9:40 – We have another timeout as things are starting to resemble that third quarter the other night. It’s Philadelphia 84, Brooklyn 69 with 6:22 left in the third quarter.

9:52 – Technical foul on an increasingly irritated Kenny Atkinson. He’s been pacing up and down the Nets bench and has had a lot to say to the refs. JJ Redick misses the free throw, however, but the Sixers are up, 92-76.

9:55 – Just when things couldn’t get any worse for the Nets…

9:59 – Double technicals on Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Ben Simmons. Don’t look now but the Nets are back within single digits as we approach the end of the third quarter.

10:00 – The third quarter ends after nine straight Brooklyn points to make this one interesting again with the score Sixers 97, Nets 90.

Caris LeVert is up to 24 points and 5 rebounds off the Brooklyn bench, and JJ Redick has 26 to lead the Sixers, with Tobias Harris right behind him with 22 points and 8 rebounds.

This game was on the verge of going to hell, but the Nets went on a spirited run to close out the quarter, and most importantly awaken the home crowd, which had started to get antsy.

10:04 – A Nets turnover leads to a Ben Simmons dunk on the other end for the first points of the fourth quarter, putting the Sixers ahead, 99-90.

10:09 – D’Angelo Russell knocks down a three, and he’s starting to heat up. So much so that the Sixers take a timeout with the score Philadelphia 105, Brooklyn 99 with 8:36 left in the game. The Nets will need more heat from Russell if they’re going to complete the comeback this evening.

10:14 – DISPATCHES FROM SAN ANTONIO

10:15 – Boban Marjanovic has fouled out after clearing out Rondae Hollis-Jefferson while driving to the hoop. He’s been very helpful for the Sixers tonight filling in for Joel Embiid, and they haven’t been so great without him. We’ll see how this goes as we travel under seven minutes remaining in the game. Boban finishes with 14 points and 8 rebounds off the bench.

10:21 – Ben Simmons goes in for a layup, plus he’s fouled! It sends us into a timeout with the score Philadelphia 116, Brooklyn 105 with 5:17 left in the game. The Nets are fighting valiantly, but their might not be enough gas left in their tank to pull this one out.

10:24 – We’re back and Simmons hits the free throw to put the Sixers ahead, 117-105 and give himself a new playoff career high of 25 points.

10:27 – In between a pair of Caris LeVert free throws, we have a timeout with the score now Philadelphia 121, Brooklyn 107 with 3:40 to go.

10:31 – The Nets are now intentionally fouling noted lousy free throw shooter Ben Simmons in a last ditch effort to get back into the game. So far, he’s gone 2-4 from the line since they’ve started sending him there, and he’s 9-11 on free throws overall.

10:33 – Another timeout as this one’s all but over with the score Philadelphia 127, Brooklyn 110 with 2:25 on the clock.

10:36 – Another timeout with the score now Philadelphia 127, Brooklyn 111 with 1:53 to go. Come on guys, let’s wrap this up.

10:40 – The final buzzer sounds with the scoreboard reading Philadelphia 131, Brooklyn 115.

Caris LeVert had 26 points and 7 rebounds off the Brooklyn bench, and D’Angelo Russell also scored 26. Ben Simmons had a monster game for the Sixers, finishing with 31 points and 9 assists on 11-13 shooting. Tobias Harris added 29 points and 16 rebounds on 11-19 shooting, including 6-6 from downtown. Greg Monroe, starting in place of Joel Embiid, managed 9 points and 13 rebounds.

The Nets played hard, but the Sixers continue to not mess around. After Jared Dudley said that Ben Simmons was just an average player if you could keep him from getting out in transition, Simmons showed everyone that Dudley was sorely mistaken. Now the Sixers are up 2-1 and proved to themselves, and the rest of the playoff teams, that they can still perform well without the help of Joel Embiid. A very encouraging development for them.

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10:45 – We’re whisked out to the Staples Center for Game 3 between the Warriors and Clippers. By now, we all know what happened the other night. The Clippers shocked the Warriors by pulling off the greatest comeback in NBA playoff history, coming back from a 31 point deficit. There’s really no telling what’s about to happen next, but I have a feeling the Warriors remind everyone who the champs are.

Brian Anderson and Kevin McHale will narrate the action, and Kristen Ledlow will report from the sidelines.

10:48 – The Warriors win the opening tip, and Game 3 is underway out in LA. I wonder what sort of wacky adventures we’ll get into tonight.

10:49 – Kevin Durant scores the first points of the game with a jumper, putting the Warriors up 2-0.

10:51 – Kevin Durant’s called for his second foul, this one on the offensive end. He remains in the game.

10:52 – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander puts in a three for the Clippers first few points. They trail, 4-3.

10:54 – DISPATCHES FROM SAN ANTONIO

10:56 – After a shot clock violation against the Clippers, we have a timeout with the score Golden State 11, Los Angeles 6 with 6:48 left in the first quarter.

11:09 – We’ve got a timeout with the score Golden State 32, Los Angeles 15 with 2:18 left in the first quarter. The Warriors are finding holes in the Clippers defense with excellent passing and seem intent on putting Game 2 out of everyone’s mind.

11:20 – The first quarter comes to a close with the score Golden State 41, Los Angeles 24. JaMychal Green, of all people, leads the Clippers with eight points off the bench, but as a team, LA shot just 7-21 from the floor. Steph Curry leads the Warriors with 13, and Kevin Durant was a perfect 5-5 for 12 points. Altogether, the Warriors shot 16-23.

Obviously, things won’t really get cooking until the Clippers fall behind by 31.

11:24 – Montrezl Harrell goes flying in for a big dunk to start the second quarter, and the Clippers shave two points off their deficit and trail, 41-26.

11:27 – We’ve got a delay as there’s some sort of issue with the clocks in the Staples Center.

11:28 – DISPATCHES FROM SAN ANTONIO

11:29 – The game, and the clock, are back underway.

11:38 – After a Warriors turnover, we have a timeout with the score Golden State 53, Los Angeles 34 with 6:48 remaining in the first half.

11:43 – As we see Kentucky coach John Calipari in stands, Shaun Livingston is called for a technical after having a few extra words with one of the refs. Danilo Gallinari hits the technical free throw, but the Clippers continue to trail, 58-35.

11:44 – And now Klay Thompson flies to the hoop for a one hand slam! It’ll take us into a timeout with the score Golden State 60, Los Angeles 37 with 5:37 left until halftime. The Clippers are just waiting for this Warriors lead to get up to 31, then they’ll make their move.

11:49 – JaMychal Green hits a three, and the Clippers have this one under 20 points with the score Golden State 60, Los Angeles 42 with 5:01 remaining in the first half. Obviously, sensing the early stages of another big comeback, Warriors coach Steve Kerr calls a timeout.

12:02 am – We’re here at halftime with the score Golden State 73, Los Angeles 52.

JaMychal Green leads the Clippers with 13 off the bench, and Montrezl Harrell has added ten, but nothing’s going right for LA. Meanwhile, the Warriors seem intent on proving a point, let by Kevin Durant’s 27 points on 10-15 shooting. Steph Curry has 15, and Klay Thompson’s added 10.

What the Warriors don’t realize is that they’re playing right into the Clippers hands.

12:20 – We already have a timeout as the third quarter is barely underway with the score still Golden State 73, Los Angeles 52 with 11:23 on the clock.

12:24 – Patrick Beverly pulls up and hits a three for the first points of the second half, and the Clippers trail, 73-55.

12:25 – Patrick Beverly fouls Steph Curry, then as Curry gets set to launch a meaningless shot after the whistle, Beverly slaps him on the arm and gets hit with a technical foul. Curry of course hits the free throw, and the Warriors lead is 74-55.

12:28 – With 8:46 to go in the third quarter, Steph Curry picks up his fourth foul. When he picked up his fourth in Game 2, the Clippers comeback began. As he did then, he leaves the game with the Warriors ahead, 81-57.

12:29 – Double technicals on JaMychal Green and Kevin Durant, who were engaged in a lively conversation as they strolled up the court.

12:31 – Draymond Green finds Andre Iguodala for a big two hand slam, and the Warriors are on a 14-0 run to bring us into a timeout and make the score Golden State 88, Los Angeles 57 with 7:10 remaining in the game. By my math, that’s a 31 point lead for the Warriors, which means it’s comeback time!

12:41 – JaMychal Green comes flying in for a put back slam, and it’ll take us into a timeout with the score Golden State 100, Los Angeles 72 with 3:48 to go in the third quarter.

12:50 – The third quarter draws to a close with the score Golden State 109, Los Angeles 76.

Lou Williams got 16 points and 6 assists to lead the Clippers, but Kevin Durant’s up to 38 points and 7 assists for the Warriors. It looks as though there will be no comeback tonight, but I am staying up anyway, just in case.

12:54 – Shaun Livingston hits a jumper to continue piling on the Clippers as Golden State’s lead goes up to 111-76.

1:03 – We have a timeout with the score Golden State 117, Los Angeles 86 with 7:19 remaining after Jerome Robinson hits a free throw after Quinn Cook was called for a technical foul. I’d tell you more, but I am straight up not really paying attention to this game anymore.

1:13 – Al Michaels sighting in the stands.

1:17 – Baron Davis sighting in the stands.

1:19 – That’ll do it from the Staples Center with a final score of Golden State 132, Los Angeles 105. It’s the 20th straight series in which the Warriors have notched a road win, a new NBA record. See? Staying up late was worth it once again. We got to witness history.

Ivica Zubac led the Clippers with 18 points and 15 rebounds in 17 minutes. Despite starting, most of that damage was done in garbage time, so don’t be fooled by these lofty numbers.

Kevin Durant was sublime this evening, finishing with 38 points and 7 assists. Steph Curry added 21 points and 5 rebounds, and Draymond Green contributed 8 points, 6 rebounds and 10 assists.

From the jump, the Warriors were in control, only this time, they never let up. They’re still the team to beat, and they can still ruin anyone’s night when they fully feel like it.

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Another exciting evening of NBA playoff action is in the books, and with the opportunities for comebacks now over, it’s time to go to bed.

 

NBA Playoffs Day 5: Tough Scene

7:01 pm – I just walked through the door and not a moment too soon because it’s nearly time for Game 2 between my hometown Boston Celtics and the visiting Indiana Pacers, live on Turner Network Television. Game 1 was like something out of the 90s, with the Celtics winning, 84-74. I’m glad someone around here is carrying the torch for disgusting, defensive minded playoff games.

Also tonight, Game 2 between the Bucks and Pistons, and, well…

Luckily for everyone, that game has been banished to NBA TV, so nobody has to see the impending massacre.

Later tonight on TNT, it’s Game 2 between the Rockets and Jazz. Utah’s going to have to tweak their defensive approach to guarding James Harden, because the game got away from them in Game 1. They have the personnel, and the coaching, to do so, but that still might not be enough against the likes of Harden.

7:09 – We’re welcomed to the TD Garden in Boston, a mere Commuter Rail’s ride away from my house, for Game 2 between the Celtics and Pacers. Kevin Harlan and Reggie Miller will be our narrators, with Rebecca Haarlow reporting from the sidelines.

After missing Game 1 due to having to work on Sunday, I am very pumped to be able to sit and watch the Celtics, have a beer or two and yell at the TV for the next couple of hours.

7:11 – The Celtics win the opening tip, and we’re underway up here in Boston. Immediately, some great ball movement leads to an Aron Baynes dunk…

…but Thaddeus Young answers with his very own dunk on the other end, and this one starts off tied at two.

7:17 – We’ve got our first timeout after a Bojan Bogdanovic three to make the score Indiana 17, Boston 13 with 6:51 left in the first quarter. In stark contract to Game 1’s rock fight, these two teams have combined to shoot 12-16 to begin the game. On top of that, the Pacers are on a 10-0 run.

7::29 – Jayson Tatum puts in a three, and we’ll have a timeout with the score Indiana 27, Boston 22 with 2:29 left in the first quarter. After hitting their first five shots, the Celtics have struggled a bit, shooting 3-11 since, but the game remains close.

7:37 – The first quarter ends with the Celtics over passing themselves out of a real chance for a final shot, and our score will be Indiana 33, Boston 29.

Kyrie Irving leads the Celtics with 7 points and 4 assists, while Bojan Bogdanovic has ten to lead the Pacers.

Both teams are making up for lost offense in Game 1. The Celtics are at 55% from the floor, and the Pacers are up at 63.2%. They’ve combined to go 9-17 from beyond the arc, and nobody’s missed a free throw thus far.

7:42 – Tyreke Evans gets to the bucket for a layup and the first points of the second quarter to get the Pacers lead up to 35-29.

7:44 – A Kyrie Irving three inspires a Pacers timeout with the score Indiana 37, Boston 34 with 8:58 left until halftime.

7:52 – We have a timeout as both team’s hot shooting is starting to level off. Our score’s Indiana 40, Boston 38 with 5:38 left in the second quarter.

8:06 – We’re here at halftime with the score Boston 52, Indiana 50.

Kyrie Irving’s got 18 points and 5 assists to lead the Celtics, and he’s been doing it with a dazzling array of moves and he appears intent on backing up all the talk he’s done all season, which is no small amount. Jayson Tatum’s chimed in with 12 points.

Thaddeus Young leads the Pacers with 13, and Bojan Bogdanovic has 12.

It’s been a fun game so far, with each team battling hard and most importantly, remembering how to shoot, with both of them shooting an even 50% from the field.

8:22 – Wes Matthews, quiet in the first half, opens the second half with a corner three to put the Pacers on top, 53-52.

8:23 – Thaddeus Young gets a layup, and Jaylen Brown hits a jumper at the free throw line and the Pacers lead, 55-54.

8:24 – Myles Turner cans a three, and the Pacers lead is up to 58-54. On the other end, Kyrie Irving slices through the paint for a lefty layup, to keep the Celtics close, trailing 58-56.

8:25 – Bojan Bogdanovic hits a jumper from the free throw line, but Jayson Tatum fights his way down the baseline for a layup, and the Celtics keep pace and trail 60-58.

8:26 – Technical foul on Celtics coach Brad Stevens. The mic did pick up someone yelling, “BULLSHIT!” after Aron Baynes was called for a foul, hopefully it was the usually mild mannered Stevens. Bojan Bogdanovic misses the free throw, and the score remains 60-58, Pacers.

8:27 – After an offensive rebound is batted back out beyond the arc, the Pacers corral it and get it to Darren Collison, who goes in for a layup. It’ll take us to a timeout with the score Indiana 62, Boston 58 with 8:45 on the clock after a lively start to the third quarter.

8:35 – Kyrie Irving finishes off a fast break by dishing off to Jayson Tatum for a nice layup, and we’ll have a timeout with the score Indiana 70, Boston 60 with 5:27 left in the third. The game’s starting to feel precarious for the Celtics. This is the sort of situation where they’d usually let it slip away in the regular season. They need to dig deep and get back into this one before it’s too late.

8:41 – DISPATCHES FROM MILWAUKEE

8:45 – We’re here at the end of the third quarter with the score Indiana 79, Boston 68.

Kyrie Irving’s up to 28 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists, but unfortunately, he seems to be the only Celtic that can score at the moment. Bojan Bogdanovic leads the Pacers with 17.

Indiana ramped up their defense, particularly Myles Turner, who had a couple of nice blocks. Meanwhile, the Celtics regular season malaise offense has returned at this inopportune time. Kyrie seems intent on taking over, but with the Celtics malaise also permeating their defensive effort, they haven’t been able to make much progress on the scoreboard.

I have seen this movie so many times over the course of the season and I am now in a lousy mood.

8:49 – Al Horford makes his way through the paint and banks in his first points of the game, and the Celtics strike first in the third to cut their deficit down to 79-70. Horford’s going to have to make his presence felt down the stretch if the Celtics are going to be able to pull off a comeback.

8:55 – Jayson Tatum storms through the paint for a big dunk! It’ll take us to a timeout with the Celtics on an 8-0 run to make the score Indiana 82, Boston 78 with 8:33 left in the game. Horford has indeed begun to make an impact on the game, with a couple baskets early on in the fourth. Most importantly, they’re getting it done with Kyrie Irving resting on the bench.

9:01 – After a Thaddeus Young layup rolls off the rim, Kyrie Irving knocks down a three! It’s a one point game with the Celtics behind, 82-81.

9:02 – Another three from Kyrie! This one brings us into a timeout with the Celtics on a 14-0 run to make the score Boston 84, Indiana 82 with 5:25 to go. The Pacers have gone cold in the cruelest way, with many of their shots bouncing and rolling all over the rim before falling into the rebounding hands of a waiting Celtic. Needless to say, the Garden, and my living room, are abuzz.

The Pacers have missed their last eight shots as we return to action.

9:07 – This time Kyrie ventures within the three point line and buries a jumper to make it a 16-0 run and an 86-82 Boston lead.

9:09 – The Pacers drought comes to an end with a Wes Matthews three, and we’re heading back into a timeout with the score Boston 86, Indiana 85 with 3:24 left on the clock.

9:12 – Kyrie Irving splits a pair from the free throw line, and the Celtics lead is 87-85 until Bojan Bogdanovic knocks down a three to put him at 20 points, and put the Pacers up, 88-87.

On their next possession, Gordon Hayward nails a jumper to return the lead to the Celtics at 89-88.

Undaunted, Bojan Bogdanovic answers back with another three to get the Pacers back on top, 91-89.

9:13 – DISPATCHES FROM MILWAUKEE

9:14 – A timeout as Al Horford is bleeding. The score’s Indiana 91, Boston 89 with just 1:13 remaining. The Pacers will have the ball once Horford gets patched up and we return to action.

9:15 – Al Horford blocks Bojan Bogdanovic at the rim, which leads to a Jayson Tatum three on the other end to give the Celtics a 92-91 lead!

BEHOLD!

9:16 – Jayson Tatum finds Gordon Hayward all alone under the hoop for an easy bucket! We’ve got another timeout with the scoreboard reading Boston 94, Indiana 91 with just 12.1 seconds to go!

9:18 – Wes Mathews’ inbound pass after the timeout goes sailing across the court and out of bounds! The Celtics will have the ball after a timeout with the score still Boston 94, Indiana 91 with 12.1 seconds left. Obviously a horrendous turn of events for the Pacers.

9:20 – The Celtics inbound the ball and, unlike the Pacers, use some great passing to avoid the Pacers foul attempts and get Jayson Tatum a dunk, plus a foul! Tatum hits the free throw and the Pacers take a timeout with the score now Boston 97, Indiana 91 with 8.8 seconds remaining. What a disastrous final minute for the Pacers.

9:22 – The Pacers are able to inbound the ball this time, only to turn it over out of bounds. The Celtics inbound the ball properly to Gordon Hayward, who is fouled and will go to the line with this game all but wrapped up.

9:23 – The final buzzer sounds with a final score of Boston 99, Indiana 91. Kevin Harlan tells us the Celtics went on a 10-0 run over the last 50 seconds of action, thanks to a horrendous bout of poor execution by the Indiana Pacers.

Kyrie Irving led the way with a stellar 37 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists on 15-26 shooting (including 6-10 from downtown). Jayson Tatum chimed in with 26 points on 11-20 shooting. Bojan Bogdanovic led the Pacers with 23 points and 8 rebounds.

As with Game 1, this was the kind of game the Celtics would have found a way to lose during their frustrating regular season. Instead, they got themselves together and came away with a win. Unfortunately for the Pacers, their lousy execution down the stretch only fueled the Celtics comeback. They’ll be kicking themselves all the way back to Indiana as the series shifts to the Hoosier State for Games 3 & 4.

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9:30 – We’ve got a little bit of a break before Game 2 between the Rockets and Jazz down at the Toyota Center. Utah will be looking to knot the series at one before heading back to Salt Lake City. In Game 1, their defensive game plan backfired on them, as Houston pulled away for an easy win. It’ll be interesting to see how they adjust this evening.

9:39 – We’re welcomed to Houston by the familiar sounds of Marv Albert’s voice. He’s joined by Chris Webber on color commentary, and Allie LaForce will be roaming the sidelines.

9:40 – The Jazz win the opening tip, and the late game is underway here on TNT.

9:41 – James Harden heads into the paint and lobs one up for Clint Capela, who slams it home to give the Rockets an opening 2-0 lead.

9:43 – Derrick Favors misses a three, but Rudy Gobert grabs the offensive rebound, and then finds Favors running towards the hoop for a dunk to get the Jazz on the board, trailing 5-2.

9:46 – After a Jazz turnover, the Rockets finish off the ensuing fast break with an Eric Gordon layup, sending us into our first timeout with the score Houston 12, Utah 4 with 8:14 left in the first quarter. The Jazz already have four turnovers.

9:53 – DISPATCHES FROM MILWAUKEE

9:55 – We have a timeout after James Harden takes an inadvertent Joe Ingles elbow to the throat. Meanwhile, our score’s Houston 27, Utah 11 with 5:07 left in the first quarter. The Jazz are shooting 1-7 from downtown and seem generally overmatched and frankly out of their league against the formidable Rockets, who are shooting 9-12 overall and 5-8 from downtown.

10:09 – The first quarter comes to a close with the score Houston 39, Utah 19.

James Harden is already up to 17 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists. Ricky Rubio, Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell each lead the Jazz with a paltry four points apiece. As a team, the Jazz managed to shoot just 8-25 overall, and a despicable 1-14 from beyond the arc. On top of that, they’ve coughed up the ball six times. I’m not a coach or anything, but some other adjustments the Jazz might want to try include making shots and not turning the ball over.

10:14 – Donovan Mitchell can’t convert a layup, but Derrick Favors is there to gather the rebound and dunk it home to give the Jazz the first points of the second quarter, and they now trail, 39-21.

10:16 – Royce O’Neale gets to the hoop for a layup, and we’ll have a timeout as the Jazz have been able to whittle away a bit of their deficit here with the score Houston 42, Utah 28 with 9:11 left until halftime. Plenty of time for something absurd to happen.

10:23 – James Harden rises up to shoot a three, gets fouled, and the shot banks in! Even Hakeem Olajuwon sitting courtside is impressed. Harden does miss the free throw, so no four point play this time around, but the Rockets are up 52-31 and Harden’s up to 23 points with 5 three pointers.

10:29 – PJ Tucker knocks down a three, and we’ll have a timeout with the score Houston 60, Utah 38 with 2:54 left in the first half.

10:30 – Meanwhile, DISPATCHES FROM MILWAUKEE

10:36 – Back in Houston…

10:37 – The first half draws to a close with a 7-0 Rockets run to make our score Houston 70, Utah 44.

James Harden is all the way up to 25 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists on 8-15 shooting, including 5-9 from downtown. Eric Gordon’s added 16 points, and PJ Tucker’s scored 12. As a team, the Rockets are shooting 51.2% overall, and 13-26 on threes.

For the Jazz, Royce O’Neale leads then with ten points off the bench. As a team, they’re shooting 35.3% from the floor and 4-22 from beyond the arc. I’ve had just about enough of them.

Before the game, there was much talk of them changing their defensive game plan after their approach to guarding James Harden in Game 1 proved less than adequate. Tonight, it’s been even worse. I’ve had just about enough of the Jazz.

10:54 – Marv Albert tells us that the Rockets set a new franchise record for threes in a playoff half with the 13 they’ve hit so far tonight.

10:55 – Ricky Rubio puts in a midrange shot for the first points of the second half to bring Utah’s deficit down to 70-46.

11:01 – Rudy Gobert gets an easy bucket in the paint, plus he’s fouled by Clint Capela. It’ll take us into a timeout with the score Houston 81, Utah 59 with 6:20 left in the third quarter. The Rockets certainly haven’t been nearly as dominant here in the second half, and with the memories of the Clippers now legendary comeback still fresh in our minds, it’s much too early to throw in the towel on this game.

11:05 – Back from the timeout, Gobert hits his free throw, and the Jazz are down, 81-60.

11:09 – James Harden and Rickey Rubio very briefly get in each others faces after Rubio’s tough defense earns him a foul. Harden basically got face to face with him and Rubio refused to backdown, but other than that, nothing noteworthy transpired.

11:12 – We’ve got a timeout with the score Houston 88, Utah 66 with 2:25 left in the third quarter. In a nutshell, the Jazz are playing much better than they did in the first half, while the Rockets, while not embarrassing themselves or anything, have let up just a little bit. However, that big lead the Rockets earned in the first half may yet prove insurmountable.

11:18 – Chris Paul dives to the floor for a loose ball, and before Joe Ingles or Jae Crowder can tie him up and force a jump ball, he’s able to call a timeout with the score Houston 92, Utah 67 with 1:12 left in the third.

11:22 – The third quarter comes to an end with a 12-1 Rockets run to help quell any hopes of the Jazz making this one interesting. It makes the score Houston 95, Utah 67. James Harden’s up to 32 points, 11 rebounds and 8 assists. Ricky Rubio’s 12, 4 and 6 lead the Jazz.

11:26 – Joe Ingles lobs a nice pass into Derrick Favors who slams it home for the first points of the fourth quarter, but the Jazz have a lot of work to do, down 95-69.

If there’s one thing I don’t like it’s things changing, but I am here for this idea, although I’d like it even better if we just went back to the best-of-five first round.

11:33 – Royce O’Neale is called for a foul on Clint Capela, but before the Rockets center goes to the line, we’ll have a timeout with the score Houston 97, Utah 73 with 7:52 remaining in a game that’s becoming increasingly more difficult to pay attention to.

11:37 – On the other side of the timeout, Capela hits 1-2 from the line to increase the Rockets lead to a hefty 98-73.

11:46 – Coming off a made Utah basket, Kenneth Faried sneaks behind the Jazz defense, where he’s found by James Harden for an easy slam to put the Rockets ahead, 107-87. It gives Harden his tenth assist, and a triple double with 32-13-10.

11:47 – Kenneth Faried goes flying in for another dunk, but he gets fouled and his dunk attempt clangs off the rim while he goes crashing to the floor, and it looks like he’ll need a minute to collect himself, so we’ll have a timeout with the score still Houston 107, Utah 87 with 3:06 left.

11:50 – Faried is okay and hits his free throws to push the Rockets lead up to 109-87 as we wind this one down.

11:52 – Marv Albert lists off the names of other Rockets with playoff triple doubles, and it’s sublime: Ralph Sampson, Hakeem Olajuwon, Rondey McCray and Steve Francis.

11:56 – This one comes to a close, before midnight, no less, with a final score of Houston 118, Utah 98.

James Harden finished with those 32 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists, and Clint Capela chipped in with 7 points and 10 rebounds. As a team, the Rockets shot 17-42 on their three pointers.

Ricky Rubio led the Jazz with 17 points and 9 assists, and Royce O’Neale came off the bench to also score 17. Derrick Favors had 14 points and 12 boards, and Rudy Gobert chimed in with 11 & 12. While Houston lit it up from beyond the arc, the Jazz were just 8-38 and shot 39.2% overall.

With their resounding win, the Rockets join the Celtics and Bucks tonight in going up 2-0 before hitting the road. The Jazz are bound to play better at home, but then again, they were bound to play better here tonight. So far, there’s been no evidence to suggest that they can hang with the Rockets.

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That’ll do it for this evening. I’m going to scurry off to bed and enjoy the extra sleep I’m going to get by virtue of tonight’s games starting earlier. We’re back to the 8:00/10:30 pm TNT combo tomorrow night, so I have to take advantage of this opportunity for extra rest, because tomorrow, our first Game 3s are going down.

 

NBA Playoffs Day 4: Everyone Looks Mad

Tonight, we’ve got a trio of Game 2s, with teams vying to bounce back from disappointing losses, or keep the pressure on their opponents. Leading things off, the Toronto Raptors, who have found themselves facing another existential crisis after their Game 1 loss to the Orlando Magic. The Raptors losing Game 1 is a time honored tradition, and tonight, they’ll have to face not only the Magic, but their copious playoff demons.

On NBA TV, we’ve got Game 2 between Denver and San Antonio, a game I will not be watching because I don’t got no NBA TV. The Nuggets seemed to have some playoff jitters in Game 1 against the the much more experienced Spurs. Their opening game struggles were understandable, but if they don’t sort themselves out real fast, they’re going to be facing an unfortunate fate.

Lastly, the second game on TNT, Game 2 between the Thunder and Blazers. Portland fended off a comeback attempt from the Thunder in Game 1. The big question out there is just how healthy Paul George is. If that shoulder keeps hampering him, it could be another early and disappointing playoff exit for OKC, in this battle between teams that have recently been all too familiar with them.

Of course this afternoon we got the very bad news that DeMarcus Cousins is out for the rest of the postseason with a torn quad. After waiting this whole time for his first trip to the playoffs, his debut run is over after just 25 total minutes played. There are few things crueler than the playoffs.

8:05 pm – Let’s check in on the mood up in Toronto before Game 2…

Lowry’s coming off an 0-7 performance in Game 1.

8:09 – Okay, here we are in Toronto, just in time for Game 2 between the Magic and Raptors on Turner Network Television. Spero Dedes will be our play by play man, with Greg Anthony providing color commentary. Jared Greenberg is patrolling the sideline, looking for things to report on.

8:11 – The Raptors win the opening tip, and it’s not long before a Kawhi Leonard jumper puts them up, 2-0.

8:13 – Kyle Lowry goes 1-2 from the line for his first point of the series. The Raptors lead, 3-0.

8:18 – Pascal Siakam gets to the hole for a layup, and we’ve got our first timeout with the score Toronto 9, Orlando 0 with 7:59 left in the first quarter. The Magic are 0-6 to begin the game, and the Raptors seem to have increased the defensive intensity. Kawhi Leonard does have two early fouls, but coach Nick Nurse is sticking with him for now.

8:24 – Nikola Vucevic misses two free throws, but Aaron Gordon comes flying in for an offensive rebound and two hand dunk, finally giving the Magic their first points of the ballgame. They trail, 11-2.

Kyle Lowry responds on the other end by finally hitting his first shot of the series, and it’s a three to put Toronto ahead, 14-2.

8:29 – We have a timeout with the score now Toronto 20, Orlando 10 with 3:49 left in the first quarter.

I am going to be mean spirited and predict that this will be a one possession game in the fourth quarter.

8:39 – We’re here at the end of the first quarter with the score Toronto 26, Orlando 18. Kawhi Leonard leads the Raptors with 12 points on 5-7 shooting. Aaron Gordon has eight to lead the Magic.

Toronto came out intent to put Game 1 behind them, particularly looking good on the defensive end. The Magic did well to end the quarter trailing by less than double digits, but if the Raptors can keep up their defensive intensity, it should be fairly smooth sailing for the rest of the night.

8:44 – Kyle Lowry puts in a three for the first points of the second quarter, extending the Raptors lead up to 29-18.

8:45 – Kawhi Leonard is called for his third foul. He remains in the game.

8:47 – Michael Carter-Williams is trapped at midcourt, and the Magic have to call a timeout before he’s forced into a backcourt violation. It’s not a bad time for a break anyway, as the Raptors have scored seven straight points to make the score Toronto 36, Orlando 23 with 8:20 left in the first half.

8:51 – We’re back underway, and Kawhi Leonard is finally on the bench with those three fouls. Can the Magic take advantage and chip away a bit?

8:55 – Nikola Vucevic gets himself a dunk for his first points of the game, sending us into a timeout with the score Toronto 38, Orlando 28 with 4:56 left until halftime. The Magic really need their all star to wake up, so hopefully that dunk gets ol’ Vooch going.

9:05 – Kyle Lowry dives to the floor for a loose ball and is able to control it and call a timeout with the score Toronto 47, Orlando 33 with 2:33 left in the first half.

9:12 – The first half draws to a close with the score Toronto 51, Orlando 39.

Kawhi Leonard has 17 points on 7-9 shooting, but has three fouls. Kyle Lowry has rebounded nicely from his forgettable Game 1 with 15 points on 5-8 shooting, and Pascal Siakam has chimed in with 12 points and 5 boards. The Raptors came out swinging, as if they’re tired of hearing about their playoff demons. Lowry in particular has been aggressive as he looks to put Game 1 behind him.

Terrence Ross leads Orlando with 15 off the bench on 5-7 shooting, and Aaron Gordon’s chimed in with 12 points on 5-9 shooting. Everyone else on the Magic have combined for 3-24 shooting and 12 points. As a team, they’ve shot 8-16 from the free throw line. The bottom line is, despite how well the Raptors have played, this could be a much closer game if all but two of the Magic players had performed at their usual levels.

All that being said, I feel like the Raptors should have an even larger lead. This has been a weird game.

9:30 – A pair of DJ Augustin free throws provide the first points of the second half, and they cut the Raptors lead down to ten, at 51-41.

9:36 – Kawhi Leonard uses some fancy foot work to get into an open lane towards the hoop, where he finishes his drive with a one hand slam to send is into a timeout with the score Toronto 66, Orlando 47 with 8:04 left in the third quarter.

9:38 – DISPATCHES FROM DENVER

Like the Raptors tonight, and the Sixers last night, the Nuggets are a higher seed looking to bounce back from a Game 1 loss. So far, it seems like they still have some kinks to work out.

9:45 – Kyle Lowry gets himself another bucket, and it’ll bring us into a timeout with the score Toronto 81, Orlando 58 with 4:06 left in the third quarter. Whatever notion this game had of maybe being close and interesting has long since dissipated.

9:55 – The third quarter comes to an end with the scoreboard reading Toronto 90, Orlando 66.

Kawhi Leonard scored 17 in the third quarter alone, and he’s up to 34 on 14-18 shooting. He’s also wreaking his usual havoc on the defensive end. It’s been, dare I say, a virtuoso performance by him this evening. Kyle Lowry and Pascal Siakam have each chimed in with 19 points.

Aaron Gordon leads the Magic with 20 points on 8-12 shooting, but aside from Terrence Ross, the rest of his teammates have been anti-virtuosos.

10:00 – Serge Ibaka makes a little shot from close range, and it’s the first points of the fourth quarter to push the Raptors lead up to 92-66.

10:08 – Michael Carter-Williams and Kyle Lowry engage in some mouthing off with one another. Carter-Williams appears to have given Lowry a pretty solid elbow to the face after Lowry had him wrapped up while grappling for position near the hoop. The play is now under review.

10:10 – DISPATCHES FROM DENVER

Sounds like Denver is in serious danger of having to head to San Antonio down 2-0.

10:11 – After a long review, it’s revealed to be a common-ass foul on Carter-ass-Williams, plus a dead ball technical for the elbow. Lowry hits the free throw, and the Raptors lead expands to 102-69.

10:14 – We’ve got a timeout with the score Toronto 102, Orlando 73 with 5:52 left in the game.

10:18 – During a TNT game break Ernie Johnson gives us an update on Nuggets-Spurs, then reminds us that Blazers-Thunder is coming up next before sending us back to Toronto for “the rest of the nail biter.”

10:22 – Michael Carter-Williams makes a shot from close range, plus a foul to send us into a timeout with the score Toronto 107, Orlando 75 with 2:36 remaining. It’s nice to finally see the Raptors on the giving end of a mammoth playoff beatdown. Kawhi’s performance tonight reminds me of some of the stuff LeBron used to do to them.

10:26 – We’re back and Carter-Williams misses his free throw, but the Magic got the offensive rebound, and eventually, Khem Birch hit a little floater, and the Magic are making some noise here and have the deficit down to 30! As we saw last night, if you’re within 31, you’re still in the game!

10:29 – The final buzzer sounds, and our final score is Toronto 111, Orlando 82. It’s the Raptors largest victory in their playoff history.

Kawhi Leonard finished the night with 37 points on 15-22 shooting. Kyle Lowry added 22 points, 4 rebounds and 7 assists on 8-13 shooting, erasing memories of his 0-7 in Game 1. Pascal Siakam added 19 points and 10 rebounds.

Aaron Gordon led the Magic with 20 points and 5 boards on 8-12 shooting, but the less said about the rest of their box score, the better.

That was just what the doctor ordered for the Raptors. They started the game focused and determined to make a statement, and they never let up. It’s funny how we can get carried away after one game. We all do it to various degrees. Part of it is it’s more exciting when the unexpected happened. Tonight, the Raptors brought us back into reality, reminding us that they’re one of the best teams in the league. Because of that, they’re heading down to Orlando with the series even at 1-1, and most importantly, with all of the momentum.

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10:36 – We’re in between games now as we await Game 2 between the Thunder and Blazers up in Portland. The Blazers jumped out to a big lead in Game 1 on Sunday, as I streamed the game at the office after I was called into work. The Thunder battled back, but the Blazers were able to fend them off. Concerns about Paul George’s shoulder have been floating around ever since his crummy shooting performance in the opener. With the added pressure that both teams face after each have suffered through a couple of years of disappointing and early playoff exits, tonight’s Game 2 should be quite the contest.

10:39 – We’re welcomed to the Moda Center out in Portland, Oregon by Brian Anderson and good ol’ Kevin McHale, who will narrate tonight’s action. Stephanie Ready will be our roving reporter on the sidelines.

10:41 – The Thunder win the opening tip, and Game 2 is underway up in the Pacific Northwest. OKC immediately gets the ball to Steven Adams for a hook shot in the paint to get themselves on the board first, up 2-0.

10:44 – Al-Farouq Aminu gets the Blazers on the board with a three, and they trail early, 4-3.

10:50 – Steven Adams is found in the paint, and he banks in a shot, plus he’s fouled! Before he heads to the line, we’ll have a timeout with the score Oklahoma City 18, Portland 13 with 5:49 left in what’s been a lively first quarter.

10:54 – Back from the timeout, Adams misses his free throw, keeping the score at 18-13, Thunder.

10:56 – DISPATCHES FROM DENVER

10:58 – We have a timeout after the ball goes out of bounds, and since we’ve last spoke, the Blazers have gone ahead with a 9-2 run to make the score Portland 22, Oklahoma City 20 with 2:59 left in the first quarter.

11:06 – We’re here at the end of the first quarter with the score Oklahoma City 31, Portland 26.

CJ McCollum leads the Blazers with 11 points, while Steven Adams and Paul George have each scored six to lead the Thunder. Both teams are playing with a lot of energy, each wanting, and needing to head into Game 3 with a win. We could be in for a fast paced, razzle-dazzle game of runs as we continue on long into the night.

11:08 – Sounds like a ruckus is transpiring during the commercial break!

11:10 – We see a replay of Collins and Morris jawing at each other. Seemed relatively minor, but they both earned technicals.

11:11 – Rodney Hood buries a jumper, and the second quarter scoring is underway with the Blazers cutting their deficit down to 31-28.

11:13 – We’ve got a timeout as Thunder coach Billy Donovan seems displeased with what he sees from his squad. They do have the lead, however, with the score Oklahoma City 33, Portland 28 with 10:27 left in an increasingly intense first half.

11:22 – Paul George fights his way to the hoop for a bucket, and we’ll have a timeout with the score Oklahoma City 39, Portland 30 with 7:07 left until halftime. The Thunder are attempting to settle in to a nearly double digit lead with Damian Lillard resting on the bench. Will it be maintained?

11:26 – We’re back in action with Lillard back on the floor for the Blazers.

11:28 – Apparently the Nuggets rallied back to even their series and perhaps save their season behind some fourth quarter heroics from Jamal Murray, who had missed all of his shots before going nuclear in the fourth. It’s pretty upsetting I couldn’t watch it since it was on NBA TV, and was instead stuck with that boring Raptors blowout. Okay, “pretty upsetting” might have been a bit hyperbolic, let’s call it “mildly annoying”.

11:30 – Meanwhile, back in Portland, Damian Lillard cans a three, plus he’s fouled! It inspires a timeout with the score Oklahoma City 46, Portland 41 with 4:26 left in the first half.

11:32 – Back from the timeout, Lillard hits his free throw to convert the four point play, and the Blazers inch closer, trailing 46-42.

11:33 – Ernie Johnson interrupts with a game break to tell us that going into the fourth quarter in Denver, Jamal Murray was 0-8 from the floor, and then he proceeded to shoot 8-9 in the fourth to lead the Nuggets to an improbable come from behind victory. I was right the first time, I am pretty upset that I didn’t get to see that happen live.

11:37 – A minor ruckus occurs down in the corner as Russell Westbrook slips and Damian Lillard tries to swipe the ball from him. The attempts for the ball turn into pushes and shoves between the two, and both teams arrive on the scene to get in between their respective stars. Not much else happens, but it does bring us into another timeout with the score Oklahoma City 52, Portland 45 with 2:43 to go until halftime.

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11:40 – As Casey Holdahl predicted, nothing comes from the review, and we return to action with the Thunder inbounding the ball.

11:47 – Damian Lillard drives and kicks the ball out to CJ McCollum for a buzzer beating three to close out the first half! It sends us into the break with the score Portland 54, Oklahoma City 54.

Lillard and McCollum (16 points apiece) have been leading the way for the Blazers, while Paul George also has 16 on 7-12 shooting for the Thunder. I guess that shoulder’s not bothering him tonight.

Throughout much of the first half, the Thunder were ahead, but they were never able to build their lead up to anything too substantial, and now here we are at halftime all tied up after an intense first half which featured many the foul called, and lots of players flying around with reckless abandon. Remember that earlier tweet from the start of the game where Casey Holdahl said everyone looked mad? That’s exactly the vibe that’s persisted throughout the game. Hopefully the anger sustains itself throughout the second half as well.

12:02 am – Important question heading into the second half: do I have enough gas left in the tank to not fall asleep during this game after last night’s excitement?

12:05 – Steven Adams kicks off the second half scoring with a little shot in the paint, putting the Thunder ahead, 56-54.

12:06 – Russell Westborok saves a ball going out of bounds…straight to Portland’s Al-Farouq Aminu. The ball then finds its way to Enes Kanter for a layup, and we’re tied up at 56.

12:07 – CJ McCollum hits a long two pointer, and the Blazers pull ahead, 58-56. Meanwhile, we’ve got a Gary Payton sighting in the stands!

12:08 – McCollum hits another jumper, and the Blazers lead balloons to 60-56.

On the other end of the court, Paul George gets to the bucket for a layup to keep this one close with the Thunder down, 60-58.

Al-Farouq Aminu takes the ball away from George and gets it ahead to Damian Lillard for a layup, and Portland’s back up by four at 62-58.

12:09 – Now Maurice Harkless takes the ball from George. He’ll take it himself to the hoop for a basket off the glass, but Terrance Ferguson answers on the other end with a three, and the Thunder trail, 64-61.

12:10 – CJ McCollum goes along the baseline for a floater, pushing the Blazers lead up to 66-61.

Steven Adams answers by getting good position under the hoop and a basket to keep this a one possession affair with OKC behind, 66-63.

12:11 – Damian Lillard hauls off and launches a ridiculously deep three, and it’s good! It’ll take us into a timeout with the score Portland 69, Oklahoma City 63 with 6:48 left in an exciting third quarter. Only Steph Curry is better at pulling up and canning those long threes.

12:20 – Russell Westbrook works his way to the hoop for a layup, and we’ll have a timeout with the score Portland 75, Oklahoma City 69 with 3:50 left in the third quarter.

12:32 – The third quarter ends the same way the second quarter did, with a buzzer beating three, this time from Damian Lillard, and it punctuates a quarter in which the Blazers outscored the Thunder, 37-21 to make the score Portland 91, Oklahoma City 75.

Lillard has 27 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists, and CJ McCollum’s right with him with 25 points and 6 rebounds. Paul George has 20 points and 6 rebounds, but Russell Westbrook is having one of those games. He’s 4-17 from the floor with just 11 points.

Throughout that third quarter run, the Blazers ramped up the defense, coming up with several steals and on top of that, they hit six three pointers to pull away. Now, they’re 12 minutes away from being on their way to OKC with a 2-0 series lead.

12:37 – CJ McCollum heads to the hoop for a layup and the first points of the fourth quarter, pushing the Blazers lead up to 93-75. The Blazers are in the midst of a 14-2 run as they continue to put more distance between themselves and the Thunder.

12:39 – We’ve got a review after Evan Turner fouls Markieff Morris hard enough to send Morris to the floor. It’s eventually deemed a common-ass foul. Does every little hard foul have to be reviewed?

12:45 – Paul George fouls Meyers Leonard battling for a rebound, and it’ll bring us into a timeout with the score Portland 95, Oklahoma City 81 with 7:55 to go.

12:55 – Damian Lillard and Steven Adams are in the midst of a less than friendly chat, after the big New Zealander got Lillard with a big screen. The chat doesn’t get unfriendly enough for technical fouls to be called, but it’s been an extended discussion.

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12:58 – Two CJ McCollum free throws send us into a timeout with the score Portland 112, Oklahoma City 91 with 3:31 to go.

1:02 – Another timeout after a Dame Lillard layup attempt is blocked out of bounds. The score’s the same with 2:49 left on the clock.

1:08 – The game is over with a final score of Portland 114, Oklahoma City 94. CJ McCollum ends the night with 33 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists, and Damian Lillard went for 29 points and 6 assists. Maurice Harkless contributed 14 points and 9 rebounds.

Paul George led the Thunder with 27 points and 8 rebounds, and Russell Westbrook added 14 points, 9 rebounds and 11 assists, but he shot just 5-20. As a team, OKC was a yucky 5-28 from downtown.

That was quite the second half for the Blazers. Not only did they catch fire from beyond the arc, shooting 40.6% on threes for the game, they turned up the defense as they ran away with the game to become the first team in the playoffs to get their second win. They came into these playoffs having been swept out of the first round the previous two seasons, and having just lost their starting center to a broken leg. Now, they head to Oklahoma City in command of the series.

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Things continue to get interesting here in the playoffs. The Raptors and Nuggets, two home teams facing the unenviable prospect of going down 0-2 each got big wins tonight. While the Raptors grabbed control of their game right off the back, the Nuggets needed a memorable comeback to even their series. Regardless of how they pulled it off, things are looking better for fans of those teams.

As for the Thunder, things are looking dire. They can’t hit a shot and while they’re due to perform better in front of their home crowd, they find themselves in an 0-2 hole, against a team that is eager to put recent playoff failures behind them, while OKC is in serious danger of adding to their own current streak first round exits.

 

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