Tag: Derrick Rose

NBA Playoffs – Day 8

We’ve made it through another long week, so it’s now time to reward ourselves with the eight playoff games we earned. The weekends of the first round bring a multitude of exciting, exciting NBA action, especially as the series enter their pivotal phases, in which some teams could see their seasons come to an end, where others in closer series will struggle for the upper hand against their worthy opponents. This weekend, I am not joined by my pal Ian, so I will have all of the playoff provisions to myself.

Our first game this afternoon: Game 4 between the 76ers and Heat. Philadelphia’s coming off a rollicking victory which saw them pull away from Miami in the fourth quarter, as well as the return of Joel Embiid. These two teams have shown a dislike for one another, a feeling that is bound to only increase with each passing game.

Finish your sandwich and get ready for action.

2:31 pm – We’re welcomed to the American Airlines arena by our pals Brian Anderson and Kevin McHale, who will be narrating the action. After their Game 1 loss, the Heat evened the series in Game 2 by coming out with a physical performance, knocking the Sixers out of their flow. They’ll need to do the same thing here today or face the dreaded 3-1 hole.

2:33 – The Sixers control the opening tip, and another playoff weekend is underway. Dario Saric gets us our first bucket after securing an offensive rebound and getting an easy basket, and the Sixers lead, 2-0.

2:34 – James Johnson gets to the hoop for a layup, and the Heat are on the board, down 4-2.

2:40 – Josh Richardson draws a foul, and gets a layup, but the refs say the foul was before the shot, despite Richardson’s please that the bucket be counted. It’ll take us into our first time out with a score of Philadelphia 14, Miami 12 with 6:57 left in the first quarter.

2:47 – Wayne Ellington hits a three from the corner, and our score’s Philadelphia 20, Miami 15 with 5:11 left in the first quarter.

3:01 – We’re here at the end of the first quarter which the Heat finished off with a 9-2 run to make the score Miami 26, Philadelphia 26. Once again, the play has been physical, with many the player sent to the floor as they battle for position. This is what playoff games should be.

Josh Richardson, Goran Dragic and Wayne Ellington each have six to lead the Heat, while Dario Saric has 7 points and 5 rebounds for the Sixers.

3:05 – Dwyane Wade spins his way into the paint for a floater, and the Heat strike first in the second quarter to take a 28-26 lead.

3:14 – We’re going to have a time out with a score of Miami 41, Philadelphia 40 with 6:53 left in the first half. We’ve got a decent duel going here in the second quarter between JJ Redick (12 points) and Dwyane Wade (9 points).

3:20 – Goran Dragic gets to the hoop for a layup, and we’ll have another time out with a score of Miami 45, Philadelphia 42 with 6:04 remaining in the half.

3:27 – Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!

Goran Dragic is fouled on a fast break, but keeps going, and is shoved aside by Robert Covington, and James Johnson goes apeshit. Ben Simmons comes in to get into Johnson’s face, and a fairly lively scrum ensues. Meanwhile, Josh Richardson is down on the fllor on the other end of the court after a collision with Joel Embiid as they both went for a loose ball. Looks like Embiid hit him in the dome as they dove to the floor. On top of that, Justise Winslow is bleeding (he also dove for that loose ball), and he sprints off to the locker room.

3:33 – Okay, after a lengthy review, we have the original foul that Ben Simmons committed on Dragic, and Simmons & Johnson each got technicals. A fair call from the refs.

3:37 – James Johnson gets a bucket, plus draws a foul on Saric, but he also kneed Saric “below the Mason-Dixon line”, as Kevin McHale put it, sending him to the floor. Saric gets up and has to be held back briefly from going after Johnson. This time, cooler heads prevail. For now.

3:40 – Justise Winslow is back on the Heat bench with a bandage after getting some stitches.

3:42 – We’re here at halftime after a feisty first half with a score of Miami 61, Philadelphia 56.

Goran Dragic leads the Heat with 13, Dwyane Wade has 11, and Wayne Ellington has 10. JJ Redick leads Philadelphia with 12. Both teams are playing their asses off and refusing to give an inch, and it’s been fantastic. I kind of hope this series heads back to Philadelphia tied at two. Few things are better than a Game 5 with a tied series between two teams that are sick and tired of one another.

3:51 – This merits mentioning: the Sixers had 17 turnovers in the first half, the most in a playoff game since 1999.

3:54 – The official word on Josh Richardson…

3:58 – Richardson is on the floor as the second half begins.

3:59 – Ben Simmons banks a shot in and the Sixers have the first points of the second half and trail, 61-58.

4:00 – Goran Dragic answers with a three, and the Heat build their lead up to 64-60.

4:03 – After a steal, Josh Richardson races down the court for a layup, and we’ll have a time out with the score Miami 68, Philadelphia 60 with 9:07 left in the third quarter.

4:09 – After another Sixers turnover, Josh Richardson lobs the ball up to Hassan Whiteside who slams it home with two hands. It’ll bring us into a time out with the score Miami 72, Philadelphia 62 with 7:18 left in the third quarter. It’s the Heat’s largest lead of the ballgame.

4:17 – Technical fouls on Hassan Whiteside and Dario Saric as the hatred continues to burn in this series.

4:22 – Joel Embiid blocks a shot from Justise Winslow, and we’ll have a time out with a score of Miami 79, Philadelphia 71 with 3:18 left in the third. It’s actually a bit impressive that the Sixers are still in this one with all of the turnovers they’ve racked up.

4:33 – We’ve reached the end of the third quarter with a score of Miami 83, Philadelphia 79. Goran Dragic’s 20 points lead the Heat, and JJ Redick leads the Sixers with 16. Hassan Whiteside has 11 points and 7 rebounds, and looks alive for the first time this series. Meanwhile, the Sixers have 24 turnovers, but are still in position to win this game. It should be an awesome fourth quarter.

4:38 – Ben Simmons clears some space for a layup, giving us the first points of the fourth quarter, and cutting the Sixers deficit down to 83-81.

4:39 – After Joel Embiid blocks a James Johnson attempt, Ben Simmons goes in for a layup, misses, gets his own miss, misses again, gets his own miss again, and then finally puts the ball through the hoop. We’ve got a time out, and a tie score, 83-83, with 10:07 remaining and the Sixers on a 10-0 run.

4:42 – We’re back and replays show that after his block, Embiid tore off his mask and flung it back to the Sixers bench to have it adjusted. It’s been giving him a hard time all afternoon.

4:44 – Two Joel Embiid free throws give the Sixers an 85-83 lead, their first since they were ahead, 40-39. On their next possession, Ersan Ilyasova finds JJ Redick all alone under the hoop for a layup, and the Sixers lead improves to 87-83.

4:45 – Dwyane Wade dribbles into open space and knocks down a jumper, and the Heat trail, 87-85.

4:47 – JJ Redick takes a pass from Ben Simmons and brings it in for a layup, extending the Sixers lead to 89-85.

4:48 – We’re going to have a time out with the score still Philadelphia 89, Miami 85 with 6:47 left in the game. While the Sixers turnover issues have been well documented this afternoon (they’re up to 25), they’ve been able to out-rebound the Heat, 51-33, to help keep this one close. In other news, Ben Simmons has got a triple double with 12 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.

4:56 – A time out after the Heat knock the ball out of bounds with the score Philadelphia 96, Miami 90 with 4:09 left in the game.

4:58 – As we return to action, Joel Embiid tries to leave his mask behind, but coach Brett Brown doesn’t give him the choice, and the mask returns.

5:05 – Dwyane Wade squeezes between two defenders and throws up a shot that goes in, plus he’s fouled! He nails the free throw, and he’s up to 20 points off the bench, and the Heat trail, 100-97.

5:06 – After Joel Embiid throws it away, the Heat find Wade underneath the hoop for a bucket, and it’s a one point game with the Heat now down, 100-99.

5:07 – Ben Simmons explodes to the hoop for a two hand slam! A time out follows with the score Philadelphia 102, Miami 99 with just 58.2 seconds left.

5:09 – Wade spins, and hits a fadeaway, to make this a one point game again with Miami down, 102-101. He’s scored seven straight points to bring us here, but then JJ Redick answers with a jumper, and we’ll have a time out with the score Philadelphia 104, Miami 101 with 30.1 seconds on the clock.

5:11 – Wade goes in for a layup, and it’s rejected by Joel Embiid, but, he’s also called for a foul, sending Wade to the line with 17.6 seconds to go.

5:13 – Wade makes the first free throw, but misses the second, and JJ Redick grabs the board and is fouled. Redick is amongst the last people the Heat would have wanted to put at the line, but they had little choice. The Heat have missed twelve free throws, and that will be amongst the things that decide this game.

5:14 – Redick hits both free throws to put the Sixers up, 106-102.

5:15 – After the Heat fail to score on a couple of chances, the Sixers get the rebound, and the game comes to an end with a final score of Philadelphia 106, Miami 102.

Wade led the Heat with 25 points off the bench, and almost rescued them down the stretch, but the Sixers were just a bit better. Goran Dragic added 20, and Hassan Whiteside woke up to provide 13 points and 13 rebounds, but also had some costly defensive miscues down the stretch.

JJ Redick led the Sixers with 24 points, and Ben Simmons had 17 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists and 4 steals. Joel Embiid shot just 2-11, but he still managed 14 points, 12 rebounds and 5 blocks.

While the Heat are a tough, hard playing team, the Sixers have the edge in talent, and that’s what ended up carrying the day. The Heat just don’t have any players at the same caliber as Simmons and Embiid, and they also shot a yucky 13-25 from the free throw line. In a series as close as this, those are the things that make all the difference, and the Sixers are now returning home to Philadelphia with a chance to close out the series.

playoff_postgame_vs_mia_4.21.18-3.jpg

5:16 – We’re thrown straight over to New Orleans, where the Blazers have an early 9-8 lead on the Pelicans. New Orleans is looking to become the first team to advance to the semifinals with a win. Ian Eagle and Brent Barry are narrating.

5:20 – We’ve got a time out with a score of Portland 16, New Orleans 14 with 6:36 left in the first quarter.

5:25 – Rajon Rondo finds Jrue Holiday with a long alley-oop which Holiday takes and lays in, and we’ll have another time out with the score New Orleans 18, Portland 16 with 5:28 left in the first quarter.

5:40 – We’re here at the end of the first quarter with a score of New Orleans 26, Portland 25. Eight points from Anthony Davis leads the Pelicans, while CJ McCollum has nine to lead the Blazers. So far, the Pelicans have done a good job keeping Damian Lillard from getting into a groove and forcing other Blazers to come up with big contributions. So far, Portland’s been able to keep pace.

5:44 – CJ McCollum goes in for a layup for the first points of the second quarter. He’s got 11, and the Blazers got a 27-26 lead.

5:50 – Evan Turner, back in the lineup after missing Game 3, knocks down a three to take us into a time out with the score New Orleans 35, Portland 35 with an even eight minutes left in the first half. Turner’s up to nine points.

6:00 – Jrue Holiday is up to 13 points after he drives to the hoop for a layup to make our score New Orleans 46, Portland 42 with 4:13 to go in the first half.

6:04 – Some news from tonight’s Game 3 between the Rockets and Timberwolves…

6:07- Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!

CJ McCollum deposits a hard foul upon E’Twaun Moore as he goes in for a layup, and Moore gets into McCollum’s face and throws a forearm into him. In the ensuing riffraff, McCollum and Jrue Holiday also engage in some unfriendly banter.

Teams are starting to get on each others nerves as the playoffs enter their second week.

6:15 – Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!

Zach Collins and Rajon Rondo initiate a ruckus with just 0.07 seconds left in the half. It all goes down after Collins fouls Jrue Holiday as they fight for a rebound, and Rondo slaps the ball away from Collins, who then goes after Rondo. They’ll each get a technical.

6:19 – Holiday splits his free throws, and going into halftime, our score’s New Orleans 58, Portland 56.

Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday each have 14 to lead the Pelicans, and E’Twaun Moore has 12. CJ McCollum and Al-Farouq Aminu have 15 for the Blazers, and Evan Turner has 11 points and 5 assists.

This game’s certainly gotten physical, with two ruckuses towards the end of the second half. Portland is doing well to hang in there with their season on the line, but do they have enough to sustain it throughout the rest of the game?

6:36 – CJ McCollum starts off the second half with a runner, plus he’s fouled. However, he misses the free throw, and this one’s tied at 58.

6:37 – Jrue Holiday works his way under the hoop for a layup, but CJ McCollum comes back with a layup, which is soon answered by another layup from Anthony Davis, and the Pelicans have a 62-60 lead when all is said and done.

6:38 – A pair of Jrue Holiday free throws extends the Pelicans lead to 64-60.

6:42 – After Anthony Davis nails a three, we’ve got a time out with a score of New Orleans 71, Portland 62 with 8:06 left in the third quarter, as the Pelicans look to pull away and put an end to this series.

6:53 – After Nikola Mirotic blocks a Zach Collins shot, Jrue Holiday nails a three at the other end, and we’ve got a time out with the score up to New Orleans 87, Portland 72 with 3:43 left in the third quarter. Things are rapidly going down the drain for the Blazers.

7:05 – After a third quarter in which the Pelicans dominated, it’s New Orleans 100, Portland 87. Anthony Davis in particular caused all sorts of problems for the Blazers, scoring 19 in the quarter to get himself up to 33 on the game. CJ McCollum leads Portland with 27, but only twelve minutes of basketball separates them from the offseason.

7:09 – Jusuf Nurkic backs his way into the paint and hits a hook shot, giving the Blazers the first basket of the fourth quarter, but they trail, 100-89.

7:10 – Ian Eagle tells us that the 42 points the Pelicans scored in the third quarter are a franchise playoff record.

7:11 – Damian Lillard finds Nurkic all alone in the paint for a dunk, and we have a time out as the Blazers have started off the final quarter with some fight. It’s New Orleans 104, Portland 98 with 9:36 left in the ballgame. Anthony Davis, who began the quarter resting on the bench, will return when action picks back up on the other side of this time out.

7:16 – CJ McCollum takes it all the way to the hoop for a layup, but Jrue Holiday answers right back with a short range shot, but nevertheless, the Blazers are back in this one, trailing 106-102.

7:17 – Nurkic gets himself an easy layup, but Holiday once again answers back with a jumper, and it remains a four point game with the Pelicans leading, 108-104. Holiday’s up to 33 points as the Pelicans try to hold the Blazers off.

7:18 – Holiday misses a three, but Anthony Davis grabs the board and stuffs it home! The Blazers call a time out with the score New Orleans 110, Portland 104 with an even seven minutes remaining.

7:22 – Al-Farouq Aminu knocks down a three, and he’s up to 23 points, and this is back to a one possession game with the Blazers trailing, 110-107.

7:23 – Jrue Holiday gets to the bucket for a layup, and he’s got a playoff career high 35 points, and the Pelicans got a 112-107 lead.

7:24 – CJ McCollum is up to 34 points after he crosses over and nails a shot, and on the next possession, Aminu steals the ball and brings it all the way home for a layup, and the Blazers are within just one point, down 112-111.

7:25 – Anthony Davis hits a shot in the paint, plus he’s fouled! He nails the free throw, and he’s up to 38 points, and the Pelicans lead is up to 115-111. Jusuf Nurkic follows it up by spinning his way for a layup, and the Blazers are behind, 115-113.

7:26 – Anthony Davis knocks down a three! Damian Lillard comes back and hits a shot to keep it close, but the Blazers are down 118-115.

7:28 – Nikola Mirotic splits a pair of free throws, and CJ McCollum comes right back with a layup, and he’s up to 36 points as the Blazers trail, 119-117.

7:29 – Jrue Holiday misses a runner, but Anthony Davis is there to slam it home! The Pelicans lead, 121-117.

7:30 – We’ve got a time out in between a pair of Evan Turner free throws. He hit the first one, so our score is New Orleans 121, Portland 118 with 3:08 left in what’s been a great fourth quarter.

7:31 – Evan Turner hits his second free throw, and we’re back underway with the Blazers trailing, 121-119…until Jrue Holiday knocks down a three to extend the Pelicans lead to 124-119.

7:37 – Holiday drives to the hoop and draws the sixth and final foul on Jusuf Nurkic. He finishes the night with 18 points and 11 rebounds in by far his most effective game in this series.

7:39 – Holiday splits his free throws, and the Pelicans go up 127-121 as we approach a minute remaining.

7:41- Holiday pulls up and nails a jumper, sending us into a time out with the scoreboard reading New Orleans 129, Portland 123 with 40.4 seconds left. Holiday now has 41.

7:43 – After Davis blocks a three pointer from Al-Farouq Aminu, the Pelicans secure the ball, and the Blazers have to foul Davis to send him to the line. He knocks down both free throws to give himself 47 points, and the Pelicans a 131-123 lead.

7:44 – Time expires, and the Pelicans complete the sweep! Our final score: New Orleans 131, Portland 123.

Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday closed out the Blazers almost by themselves. Davis finished with 47 points and 11 rebounds, while Holiday added 41 points and 8 assists. Nikola Mirotic chipped in with 10 points and 11 rebounds, and Rajon Rondo submitted 7 points, 7 rebounds and 16 assists.

CJ McCollum led the Blazers with 38. Al-Farouq Aminu had 27 and 6, and Jusuf Nurkic managed 18 & 11 before he fouled out.

Nobody saw this coming. Everyone imagined that this would be a competitive series, going six or seven games, but instead, the Pelicans found a way to exploit all of the Blazers weaknesses, and they it so well, they earned a surprising sweep. The play on both ends from Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday has been particularly impressive, with Holiday stepping up on the big stage and showing people just how good he is. They’re the first team to advance in these playoffs, and they’ll face the winner of the series between the Warriors and the Spurs.

getty-images-949771838.jpg

7:50 – Time to switch over to ESPN for Game 3 between the Rockets and Timberwolves out in Minneapolis. The Wolves have an early 10-6 lead, as they play their first playoff home game since 2004, searching for their first win of this series. I should also probably go get some of my playoff lasagna that my girlfriend made.

7:54 – Okay, we’ve got a time out with a score of Minnesota 14, Houston 9 with 6:21 left in a first quarter that I haven’t really been able to focus on yet. I am taking this time out opportunity to finally get some dinner. Why the hell couldn’t this game have started at 8:00?

8:04 – James Harden storms to the hoop for a big dunk, and we have a time out with the score Minnesota 22, Houston 20 with 2:21 left in the first quarter. The Wolves seem energized by their hungry home crowd, but they’ll need more than that if they’re going to get back into this series with a win tonight.

8:13 – The first quarter come to an end with the score Houston 28, Minnesota 27. Jimmy Butler has 11, and Andrew Wiggins has ten to lead the Timberwolves, but Karl-Anthony Towns’ struggles have continued. He has yet to attempt a shot, but he at least has five rebounds. Gerald Green has come off the bench to score six to lead a balanced Rockets effort so far.

8:16 – Houston has 13 points off the bench so far, while the Timberwolves are still awaiting their first points off the bench.

8:17 – Derrick Rose gives the Wolves their first bench points, and the first points of the second quarter, by going up for a tough layup under the hoop. Minnesota takes the lead at 29-28.

8:22 – Karl-Anthony Towns draws a foul against Clint Capela, but before he shoots his free throws, we’ll have a time out with a score of Minnesota 38, Houston 32 with 7:54 left in the first half. While he still just has two points, Towns is playing way more aggressively on both ends of the floor than he did in the first couple of games.

8:35 – We’re going to have a time out with the score Minnesota 48, Houston 40 with 2:58 left in the half. Derrick Rose has provided a huge spark here in the second quarter, scoring ten points as the Timberwolves have built up a lead. Also, it’s about that time to feed the cat.

8:42 – Trevor Ariza knocks down a three in the corner, as Jimmy Butler is down on the ground at the other end, clutching his foot. A time out is called as Butler hobbles to the Timberwolves bench. The score’s Minnesota 52, Houston 51 with 43.3 seconds to go until halftime. The combined double whammy of a recent Rockets flurry, and a potential Butler injury could be the sort of thing that submarines the night for the Wolves.

8:44 – We’re back underway, and Butler is back out there. We’ll see how effective he’ll be.

8:45 – We’ve made it to halftime with the score still Minnesota 52, Houston 51. Things had been going pretty well for the Timberwolves, but the Rockets got hot over the last couple of minutes, and now they’ve got a potentially hobbled Jimmy Butler. They’ll begin the second half in a precarious position.

Butler leads Minnesota with 13 points, while Andrew Wiggins and Derrick Rose have scored ten apiece. Karl-Anthony Towns contributed 6 points and 10 rebounds. Eric Gordon and James Harden lead Houston with 11, and Chris Paul has added ten points and five assists.

9:02 – Two Jimmy Butler free throws provide the first points of the second. That’s soon followed by an alley-oop from James Harden to Clint Capela, to keep the Rockets close, and they trail, 54-53.

9:03 – Chris Paul knocks down a three, and we’ll have an early time out as the Rockets have taken the lead with the score Houston 56, Minnesota 54 with 10:27 left in the third quarter.

9:07 – Jeff Teague gets into the paint for a floater, tying us up at 56.

9:08 – James Harden works his way into the paint and banks in a layup, giving the Rockets a 58-56 lead.

9:09 – Andrew Wiggins knocks down a three, putting the Timberwolves back ahead at 59-58. James Harden answers with a three, and the Rockets go back on top, 61-59, but Jimmy Butler answers with a three of his own, and the Timberwolves once again go ahead, 62-61.

9:10 – Jeff Teague goes in for another layup…

…and it’s followed by a missed three from James Harden. However, Clint Capela grabs the board and slams it home, and the Rockets trail, 64-63.

9:11 – Karl-Anthony Towns works his way for a close range bucket, and Minnesota’s lead goes up to 66-63. On their next possession, Andrew Wiggins drives into the paint for a scoop shot, and the Wolves lead is up to 68-63.

9:12 – Jeff Teague fouls Eric Gordon as he shoots a three. He misses his first free throw, but hits the next two, and the Rockets are down, 68-65.

9:13 – Karl-Anthony Towns nails a three! He’s starting to come alive a little bit here in the third quarter. Ryan Anderson answers him with his own three, however, and the Rockets keep pace, trailing 71-68.

9:14 – Jimmy Butler drives to the hoop and puts it in off the glass, giving the Timberwolves a 73-68 advantage.

9:18 – Karl-Anthony Towns gets a pass near the basket, goes up with it and banks it in, plus he’s fouled. He’s fired up, and so are the home fans as we have a time out with the score Minnesota 81, Houston 72 with 1:57 left in the third quarter.

9:22 – Towns hits his free throw to complete the three point game as we return to action, giving the Rockets an 82-72 lead.

9:25 – We’re here at the end of the third quarter with a score of Minnesota 87, Houston 75. This is a big test for the Timberwolves, who had an outstanding third quarter. They’ve got all the momentum, and a loud crowd behind them, but the Rockets are fully capable of coming back and ruining the fun in the fourth quarter. Will the Timberwolves be able to hang on and close out the game against the best team in the league?

9:29 – Derrick Rose, who is officially alive again, pulls up and hits a jumper to notch the first points of the fourth quarter, putting the Wolves ahead, 89-75.

9:37 – We’ve got a time out as the Timberwolves have, so far, kept the Rockets down double digits. It’s Minnesota 99, Houston 87 with 7:03 remaining, however, that lead was closer to 20 not too long ago…

9:43 – Jeff Teague nails a three, and the Wolves lead is back up to being close to 20 thanks to a 9-0 run. It’s Minnesota 108, Houston 90 with 5:37 left in the ballgame.

9:52 – Chris Paul has committed his sixth and final foul battling Karl-Anthony Towns for a rebound, much to the delight of the Minnesota crowd. He finishes the night with 17 points and 6 assists.

9:55 – Derrick Rose nails a three from the corner, and everything is going right for the Wolves late in the game. It’s Minnesota 118, Houston 102 with 2:05 left in the game.

9:57 – Karl-Anthony Towns sends a pass sailing out of bounds, and we have another time out with the score still Minnesota 118, Houston 102 now with 1:46 left in the game.

10:01 – The final buzzer sounds, and our final score’s Minnesota 121, Houston 105.

Jimmy Butler led the Wolves with 28 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists, Jeff Teague had 23 points and 8 assists, and Andrew Wiggins added 20 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. Karl-Anthony Towns bounced back from his disappointing start to the series with 18 points and 16 rebounds, while Derrick Rose added 17 off the bench. As a collective, the Wolves shot 15-27 from downtown, and played excellent defense down the stretch, giving the Rockets a dose of their own medicine.

As for Houston, James Harden finished with 29 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists, and Clint Capela chipped in with 7 points and 11 rebounds. As their deficit grew down the stretch, Timberwolves fans started a “WOLVES IN SIX” chant, but you have to think the Rockets are going to show up pissed off for Game 4, and looking to lay the smack down on Minnesota. As for now, though, it was a great win for the T’Wolves, and at least for now, they’re back in the series.

gettyimages-949770682_594_screen.jpg

10:07 – All right, we’re down to one last game, it’ll be Game 3 between the Thunder and Jazz. With the series even, the Utah fans will definitely be bringing their A-game, and it should be another good battle between these two squads.

10:09 – We’re welcomed to Salt Lake City by our narrators, Ryan Ruocco and Kara Lawson. In Game 2, Donovan Mitchell led the Jazz to an exciting comeback, which I didn’t get to see because it was on NBA TV. The best thing about these weekends is not a damn game is relegated to National Basketball Association Television.

10:11 – The Thunder win the opening tip, and we’re underway at a loud and horrendously named Vivint Smart Home Arena.

10:12 – Donovan Mitchell storms into the paint and scoops in a shot, giving the Jazz the first points of the ballgame, as well as a 2-0 lead.

10:13 – Carmelo Anthony knocks down a three, and the Thunder are on the board and in the lead, 3-2.

10:17 – Mitchell knocks down a three from the corner, and those Jazz fans are raising all sorts of hell with their team on a 12-2 run to make the score Utah 16, Oklahoma City 10 with 7:14 left in the first quarter.

10:26 – Patrick Patterson knocks down a three, and the Thunder have responded with an 11-0 run to take the lead with a score of Oklahoma City 23, Utah 20 with 3:31 left in the first quarter.

10:35 – Here we are at the end of the first quarter after the Thunder have gone on an 18-2 run to make the score Oklahoma 30, Utah 22. The Thunder did a great job withstanding the initial onslaught from the Jazz and their crowd, and they’re in control of the game heading into the second quarter, which isn’t to say the Jazz can’t wrestle control back. Joe Ingles and Donovan Mitchell lead the Jazz with five points apiece, while Russell Westbrook and Patrick Patterson each have six to lead OKC.

10:39 – Dante Exum drives to the hoop for a layup to give the Jazz the first points of the second quarter, cutting their deficit to 30-24.

10:46 – Russell Westbrook finds Carmelo Anthony for a dunk, and that’ll inspire another time out with the score Oklahoma City 43, Utah 33 with 7:59 left in the first half.

10:54 – Ricky Rubio hits a one-legged shot, and the Jazz are forcing themselves back in the ballgame thanks to a 7- 0 run and the score’s now Oklahoma City 45, Utah 40 with 6:02 left until halftime.

11:12 – We’re here at halftime and the tables have turned. The score’s Utah 58, Oklahoma City 53 after a stretch which saw Ricky Rubio go bananas. He’s got 19 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists to lead the Jazz, and he personally pushed them ahead with a scoring barrage in the second quarter. Russell Westbrook has 10 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists for the Thunder.

11:28 – Steven Adams blocks a Rubio layup, but Rudy Gobert is there to snatch the ball and get a bucket, giving the Jazz the first points of the second half, as well as a 60-53 lead.

11:30 – Donovan Mitchell commits a clear path foul on Corey Brewer, who hits both free throws. When the Thunder get the ball back, Russell Westbrook finds Steven Adams for a bucket, and the Thunder have tied the game at 60.

11:31 – Carmelo Anthony knocks down a three, and the Thunder now have the lead with a 10-0 run.

However, we’re tied right back up by a Donovan Mitchell three..

11:32 – Ricky Rubio finds Rudy Gobert with an awesome bounce pass for a loud dunk, and the Jazz go ahead, 65-63.

11:34 – Derrick Favors hits a floater, and now the Jazz are on a 7-0 run to push their lead up to 67-63.

11:35 – Patrick Patterson goaltends an attempt from Donovan Mitchell, and the Thunder need a time out with a score of Utah 69, Oklahoma City 63 with 7:41 left in the third quarter.

11:42 – Russell Westbrook splits a pair of free throws, and the are Thunder trying to stay close, down 71-68.

11:44 – Joe Ingles cans a three, and the Jazz lead goes up to, 74-68.

11:49 – Rudy Gobert gets himself a big dunk, and the Vivint Smart Home Arena (ugh) erupts in delight as we have a time out with the score Utah 82, Oklahoma City 70 with 2:31 left in the third.

11:58 – We’re going to have a time out with 43.3 seconds left in the third quarter as the Thunder are trying to grab back a bit of momentum before the final quarter begins. It’s Utah 84, Oklahoma City 75 after a three from Paul George.

12:00 am – Ricky Rubio beats the buzzer at the end of the third with a long three! It makes the score Utah 89, Oklahoma City 75 as the Jazz have snatched back the momentum the Thunder were stealing. Rubio’s up to 22 points, 10 rebounds and 8 assists, while Paul George has 16 to lead OKC.

12:05 – Corey Brewer gets an offensive rebound as Steven Adams yanks Donovan Mitchell to the ground with no foul called. Brewer takes advantage of the empty space and goes in for a layup for the first points of the fourth quarter, cutting the Thunder deficit to 89-77.

12:07 – Raymond Felton gets himself open and hits a jumper, and we’ll have a time out as the Jazz have started the fourth quarter off a little careless with their big lead. It’s now Utah 91, Oklahoma City 84 with 9:46 remaining.

12:17 – We’ve got a time out with the Jazz in the midst of a big run of their own to make the score Utah 101, Oklahoma City 86 with 5:58 left in the game. A combination of great defense, and a disciplined offense has allowed the Jazz to pull away.

12:23 – Ricky Rubio’s up to a triple double with 24 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.

12:25 – We’ve got another time out after Donovan Mitchell gets a steal and a layup to make the score Utah 110, Oklahoma City 92 with 2:29 left in the game. The Thunder are a mess right now, and they’ve long since abandoned trying to run a coherent and cohesive offense.

12:32 – This one comes to an end with a final score of Utah 115, Oklahoma City 102.

Ricky Rubio led the way for the Jazz, ending the night with 26 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. Donovan Mitchell had 22 & 11, Joe Ingles chipped in with 21, and Rudy Gobert contributed 18 points and 12 rebounds. Paul George had 23 to lead the Thunder, and Russell Westbrook submitted 14 points, 11 rebounds and 9 assists, but shot a lousy 5-17 from the field, and stopped his usual aggressive, attacking approach on offense as the game wound down.

After a rousing win, the Jazz are now up 2-1 in the series. Their defense was able to stifle the Thunder’s offensive attack, and it didn’t take much before they appeared demoralized as the Jazz pushed further and further ahead. Of course, the Thunder are just as capable of lighting the Jazz up in Game 4, but if they can’t figure out that Jazz defense, their season is going to come to a bitter end.

w620-a19cca22eb017dd6b493b81bc4981326.jpg

That was a long day, and there’s another one on deck tomorrow with four Game 4s. Hopefully they will be as feisty as today’s were. In the likely event that they are, I am going to need some beauty sleep. Goodnight, and godspeed.

 

11/25/17 – When The Avalanche Starts

ABOUT LAST NIGHT

Derrick Rose, the oft-injured former MVP of the league, has taken a leave of absence from the Cleveland Cavaliers, and is apparently considering his future in the NBA. His slew of injuries have reportedly taken a mental toll so severe, that retirement is on the table. Cavs coach Tyronn Lue expects him to return to the team, but only when he’s good and ready, saying, “Take as long as he wants to take, and we wish him well and we want him back.”

Rose has become a tragic figure in NBA folklore. Once primed to become the next big star of the league after becoming the youngest player in history to win the MVP, his injuries, and occasionally his temperament and behavior, have derailed one narrative in favor of another. Now, he’s looking more like the first MVP winner to not make the Hall of Fame than he is a legendary star.

As for the games, yesterday’s schedule kicked off with a lone game at noon, which saw the Nets hosting the Trail Blazers. In a high scoring affair, it was the defense of Jusuf Nurkic that saved the day for Portland. He came up with several big blocks and steals in the final minutes, helping to score a 127-125 afternoon victory for Portland.

Offensively, Portland’s big three carried them. Damian Lillard scored 34 points and handed out 9 assists on 10-19 shooting. CJ McCollum also shot 10-19, on his way to 26 points, and Nurkic scored 29 and grabbed 15 rebounds, shooting 12-19 and blocking four shots. They did have to sweat out a game winning three attempt from Spencer Dinwiddie with 2.9 seconds left that ultimately hit off the rim, with Nurkic hauling in the rebound.

In what we would have named the Game of the Night had we not been sleeping off Thanksgiving Dinner yesterday morning, the Celtics started a new winning streak, defeating the Magic, 118-103. Recently, Boston had been falling behind and having to claw back from big deficits, a trend that proved unsustainable when their streak came to an end on Wednesday against the Heat. Last night, they flipped the script, jumping out to a 73-47 lead at halftime, a lead that they would not relinquish.

Kyrie Irving scored 30 points on 9-15 shooting, and Terry Rozier came off the bench to have a career night with 23 points and 6 rebounds on 8-11 shooting. In fact, the Celtics bench came up with its best performance in quite some time, as they added to their big lead, particularly in the second quarter.

Carrying on without Derrick Rose, the Cavs eked out a 100-99 victory at home against the Hornets. A JR Smith free throw gave Cleveland their decisive lead with 48 seconds left. Jeremy Lamb and Kemba Walker then missed go-ahead threes to clinch the victory for Cleveland.

LeBron James notched his 57th career triple double, finishing with 27, 16 & 13. Dwight Howard led Charlotte with 20 points and 13 rebounds.

Without Kevin Durant or Draymond Green, the Warriors still managed to slaughter the Bulls, 143-94. Steph Curry outscored the Bulls himself in the second quarter, exploding for 26 points, while the Bulls could only manage 21.

“Your shot feels good, and you’re getting some open ones — that’s when the avalanche starts,” Curry, who finished the night with 33 points and 7 rebounds on 10-18 shooting, explained.

After the second quarter, in which the Warriors outscored the Bulls, 45-21, Chicago’s situation got even worse, as they followed it up by getting outscored 36-13 in the third.

The Indiana Pacers won their fifth straight game, 107-104, over the Toronto Raptors. After Victor Oladipo left the game due to a knee injury, Lance Stephenson picked up the slack, carrying the Pacers down the stretch and ensuring the win.

“I get my energy from the crowd,” Stephenson said. “When the crowd tells me, ‘Let’s go. Get it going.’ I feel like there’s power coming in me.”

He got it going with 3 three pointers in the fourth quarter that helped hold off the Raptors. He finished the night with 18 points and 7 rebounds off the bench, on 7-9 shooting, including a perfect 4-4 from downtown. Oladipo, who finished with 21 points, may or may not have to miss tonight’s game against the Celtics.

The Detroit Pistons hung on for a win on the road in OKC, defeating the Thunder 99-98 in a game that was quite sluggish down the stretch. The Pistons had fought back to take a late lead after trailing by double digits, and that’s when some familiar and self-destructive Thunder habits surfaced once again. Russell Westbrook chucked a few too many threes down the stretch, missing all of them, as he took it upon himself to try and salvage the game for the Thunder. Adding Paul George and Carmelo Anthony was supposed to alleviate the burden that rested on Westbrook’s shoulders last season, but it’s never going to work unless Westbrook himself is willing to share the burden down the stretch of close games.

With the Pistons clinging to the lead in the final seconds, it was Westbrook once again. He got a good look at a three, but he couldn’t connect, and Detroit was able to abscond with a win.

Andre Drummond finished the night with 17 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Pistons. Russell Westbrook did finish with a triple double, amassing 27 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists, but he shot just 10-29 from the field, including a horrendous 1-10 from three point land, and unfortunate mark which was exacerbated by his late game chucking.

THE NIGHT AHEAD

Game of the Night – Boston Celtics at Indiana Pacers (8:00 pm, League Pass)

The Pacers have been able to remain one of the NBA’s most pleasant surprises throughout the first five weeks of the season, and have won five in a row and six of their last seven. What better way to see how for real they are than a battle with the NBA’s best team? The Celtics have won 17 of their first 20 games this season, and are looking to continue the momentum from last night’s win over the Magic. The way they played last night is how they should look to play consistently, in contrast to the latter days of their 16 game winning streak, in which they repeatedly dug themselves out from big deficits.

 

11/18/17 – 0.5 Mentality

ABOUT LAST NIGHT

The Chicago Bulls snapped their five game losing streak, overcoming a big night from Kemba Walker to hold on for a 123-120 win at home over the Charlotte Hornets. Justin Holiday scored 27 points on 10-15 shooting to lead Chicago in his first game as a new dad. Kris Dunn added a career high 22 points, to go along with 5 rebounds and 7 assists on 10-16 shooting off the bench, in what was definitely the best game of his young career.

It was just enough to withstand Kemba Walker’s 47 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists on 17-27 shooting. In the final seconds, with the Hornets down 121-120, Walker drove to the basket and got a good looking layup attempt against Lauri Markkanen, but it rolled off the rim, allowing the lowly Bulls to escape with a win.

The Cavaliers now have their longest winning streak of the season after winning their fourth in a row, 118-113, in overtime against the Clippers. After trailing all night, the Cavs finally caught up, tying the game at 105 with a LeBron James three with 47 seconds left on the clock. In overtime, they grabbed their first lead at 106-105, on a lone James free throw, and held on from there.

LeBron finished the night with another stellar line: 39 points, 14 rebounds and 6 assists on 17-26 shooting. Dwyane Wade came off the bench for 23 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists. The Clippers were led by 23 points, 12 rebounds and 5 assists from Blake Griffin, who also shot an unfortunate 8-25 from the field. DeAndre Jordan added 20 points and 22 rebounds on 10-12 shooting, but the Clippers have fallen on hard times. They’ve now lost seven in a row, and people are starting to wonder aloud if it’s time for coach Doc Rivers to hit the road.

Just one night after the Rockets wowed us by dropping 142 points on the Suns, the unimpressed Nuggets came out and unleashed 146 on the Pelicans, who managed just 112 themselves. Denver adhered to coach Mike Malone’s “0.5 mentality”, meaning that each player on the team should only hold the ball for half a second before deciding whether or not they’re open enough to take a shot, or whether passing the ball to someone else is the better option.

The Nuggets, who shot 62.9% from the field, were led by Jamal Murray’s 31 points on 13-18 shooting.

“It was fun,” said Gary Harris (22 points, 5 assists, 9-11 shooting) after the game. “When we play like that, we’re a hard team to beat.”

Not fun was what happened to Anthony Davis. He suffered a concussion in the third quarter after Nikola Jokic’s dome collided with his own. He left after playing just 21:14 with 17 points and 5 rebounds on 7-11 shooting, the lone bright spot on an otherwise forgettable night for the Pelicans. Hopefully he is able to return sooner rather than later, or the Pelicans (8-8) might slide down the Western Conference standings into a hole that would be tough to escape from.

The Spurs came back from a 23 point deficit to defeat the Thunder, 104-101. The comeback tied their third largest under coach Gregg Popovich. The legendary coach had this to say after the game.

“It was a fine win. The guys really dug deep, pounded the rock. We kept a great attitude, and they just kept their minds on playing basic basketball and things turned their way. The effort was great, and they played a lot smarter in the second half. They took care of the ball, and just showed a lot of courage. Overall, a great team win.”

LaMarcus Aldridge led the way with 26 points and 9 rebounds, while Carmelo Anthony led the Thunder with 20 points and 6 rebounds.

San Antonio fell behind early after a yucky first quarter that ended with more Spurs turnovers than Spurs field goals. As we all know, you can never count them out, and with 38.3 seconds left in the third quarter, they tied the game at 78 with a Davis Bertans three. They grabbed a lead right at the start of the fourth with another three, this time from Manu Ginobili, and took it from there.

Our Game of the Night turned out to be quite lackluster, with the Toronto Raptors taking care of business with a 107-84 victory over the New York Knicks. DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry each scored 22 points. Lowry added 8 rebounds and 10 assists, and shot 8-12 from the field, while DeRozan shot 10-16 with 6 rebounds and 7 assists.

Despite the big win, the Raptors got some bad news on Delon Wright. The young backup point guard has a dislocated shoulder, suffered in Wednesday night’s win over the Pelicans.

The Heat nearly squandered a 25 point lead, but held on for a 91-88 victory over the Washington Wizards.

“It was pretty harrowing,” said coach Erik Spoelstra. “But, look, nothing is guaranteed in this league. But the process that this team is committed to, I respect that… to really spend a lot of time trying to fix some of the things that we’re going through.

Washington cut their deficit all the way down to 89-88 with 11.3 seconds left, but a James Johnson free throw, and a missed jumper from Bradley Beal sealed the victory for Miami. Beal finished with 26 points and 10 rebounds, while Hassan Whiteside’s 22 points and 16 rebounds on 10-12 shooting led the way for the Heat.

Unfortunately, there’s even more injury news around the league. Derrick Rose, no stranger to the injured list, is out for at least two weeks with what he describes as just a jacked-up ankle”. John Wall, who struggled with just 8 points and 8 assists on 3-12 shooting in that loss to the Heat, has a sore knee that might keep him out of their next game against Toronto.
 
The Grizzlies, perpetually bit by the injury bug, will be without Mike Conley indefinitely, due to an achilles injury. They’ve fallen back to earth after a strong start, and they might fall right off the edge, if what Kyrie Irving says is true, and right out of the Western playoff race if Conley misses too much time.

Coach David Fizdale explained, “It’s unfortunate, but watching him play in pain like that and really trying to push through that stuff was worse to watch.”

The Nets, already without Jeremy Lin, will now have to soldier on without D’Angelo Russell as well. He had arthroscopic knee surgery after hurting himself last week against the Jazz, and there’s no timetable for his return.

Get well soon, everyone.

Lastly, the Philadelphia 76ers announced that they have signed Robert Covington to a well earned extension.

“Robert Covington is a prime example of what hard work, dedication and commitment can lead to. Rob’s growth as a player on both ends of the floor makes him one of the most versatile and effective wings in the league, while his contributions of character and professionalism feature prominently in our evolving organizational culture. This extension is both well-deserved, and a really great story,” said President of Basketball Operations Bryan Colangelo.

I have to admit that I used to laugh at Robert Covington when I would look at box scores every morning. His atrocious shooting for the formerly woeful Sixers made me believe that he’d be useless on any other team, and that he was just there because the Sixers, actively trying to be terrible, just needed to fill out the roster with whichever random players they could find.

During that time, Covington shot a ghastly 39.3% overall, but he has worked hard to become a very important piece to the new and promising Sixers. Still starting alongside the likes of Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid, this season, Covington is shooting an even 50% from the field, and a ridiculous 49.5% from downtown, averaging a career high 16.5 points a game. His defense has been top notch as well. He’s gone from Trust The Process Era cannon fodder to an important starter on a very exciting and promising team. Congratulations to him on this great reward for all of his hard work, and I extend my apologies to him for laughing at his old box scores.

THE NIGHT AHEAD

Game of the Night – Golden State Warriors at Philadelphia 76ers (7:30 pm, League Pass)

The Warriors, fresh off their loss to the Celtics, continue their road trip against Robert Covington and the increasingly impressive Sixers. Unfortunately for Philadelphia, this might be a bad time to catch Golden State, who will be looking to bounce back strong after the frustrating loss in Boston. Nevertheless, the Sixers have won seven of their last nine games, but one of those losses was a 135-114 defeat in Golden State.

If you’re not in the mood for the Warriors, or if that game gets out of hand, the Rockets are visiting Memphis as those two teams play each other for the fourth (and final) time already. The Grizzlies have won two of the three games they’ve played against Houston, but, as you’ve already read, they’re now without Mike Conley. The Rockets have won seven of their last eight, and are coming off that ridiculous game against the Suns in which they scored 90 points in the first half. The Grizzlies, meanwhile, have lost four of their last five, and are just 2-6 after starting the season 5-1.