Tag: Karl-Anthony Towns

NBA Playoffs – Day 12

7:03 – Whew! Made it home just in time for tonight’s ridiculous slate of games. We’ve got four, count ’em, four games on tonight, all happening at the same time. On TNT, we’ll start off with Game 5 between the Cavs and Pacers, followed up by Game 5 between the Rockets and Timberwolves. The other pair of Game 5s are on NBA TV, so I cannot watch them, which is too bad, because they’ve got Raptors vs Wizards (tied at two), and Thunder vs Jazz, with Utah looking to put an end to the series. If I had my way, which I so rarely do, TNT would have that Thunder/Jazz game.

I can’t complain too much, as Cavs/Pacers have been one of the more exciting series here in the first round, and given the choice, I always err on the side of avoiding the Wizards. That being said, I’ll be monitoring Twitter for dispatches from those NBA TV games.

7:12 – We’re welcomed to the Quicken Loans Arena by tonight’s narrators, Ian Eagle and Brent Barry. Of course, this series is tied at two, though both teams can argue that they should/could have a 3-1 series lead. The Pacers are clearly not afraid of LeBron and the Cavs, and I’m frankly just happy that a first round series involving James has provided us some excitement and intrigue, in contrast to his usual sweep through the first round.

7:14 – The Pacers control the opening tip, and this pivotal Game 5 is underway.

7:15 – LeBron James drives along the baseline for a layup to give the Cavs the first points of the game, and a 2-0 lead. On the other end, after a Thaddeus Young offensive rebound, Bojan Bogdanovic hits a jumper to tie us at two.

7:22 – LeBron draws a foul and he’ll have a couple of free throws, but first, we’ll have a time out with the score Indiana 13, Cleveland 7 with 6:44 left in the first quarter. The Cavs are shooting just 2-10 to start the game.

7:29 – After JR Smith steals a crummy pass from Myles Turner, he passes to LeBron for a layup, and we’ll have a time out with the score Indiana 15, Cleveland 13 with 4:36 left in the opening quarter.

7:33 – Dispatches from Toronto!

7:41 – We’re here at the end of the first quarter with a score of Indiana 25, Cleveland 23. The Pacers had their lead up to ten, but the Cavs closed out the quarter on an 8-0 run to make this a two point game.

LeBron James is already all the way up to 14 points on 6-7 shooting, the only Cavalier to have hit more than one shot in the opening quarter. Victor Oladipo has six to lead the Pacers.

7:45 – A Rodney Hood floater ties us up at 25 with the first points of the second quarter, and the Cavs are now on a 10-0 run.

7:52 – After a steal, Lance Stephenson goes in for a crafty layup, and it’ll take us to a time out with the score Indiana 39, Cleveland 36 with 7:03 left in the first half.

8:04 – LeBron gets his way to the basket for a dunk, and we’ll have a time out with the score Indiana 52, Cleveland 47 with 2:37 left until halftime. The Pacers are ahead thanks in big part to a 4-6 mark from downtown.

8:05 – Dispatches from Toronto!

8:12 – We’re here at halftime with a score of Indiana 56, Cleveland 49. LeBron James has 20 on 9-11 shooting to lead the Cavs, and Domantis Sabonis has come off the bench to score 12 for the Pacers.

Indiana’s shooting 56.8% from the floor, and if it wasn’t for LeBron James, they’d have a much bigger lead. Will they be able to keep it up in the second half to send this series back home up 3-2?

8:14 – Time to feed the cat! It’s apparently her birthday today, so, happy birthday, Mia.

8:30 – The second half begins with two free throws from LeBron James, to cut the Cavs deficit to 56-51.

8:31 – Jose Calderon knocks down a three from the corner, and it’s a two point game with the Cavs behind, 56-54.

8:34 – LeBron gets a steal, and gets the hoop on the other end, and we’ve got a time out as the Cavs have come out of halftime on a 7-0 run to make the score Cleveland 56, Indiana 56 with 8:51 left in the third quarter. Let’s see how the Pacers respond…

8:38 – LeBron takes it to the hoop once again to give the Cavs a 58-56 lead.

8:39 – Myles Turner flies in for a layup, plus a foul! He hits the free throw, and the Pacers retake the lead at 59-58. However, Kyle Korver comes right back with a three, and the Cavs go back ahead, 61-59.

8:41 – Two more free throws from LeBron James extends the Cavs lead up to 63-59.

8:43 – LeBron barrels through the paint for a layup, plus a foul. He hits his free throw, and we’ll have a time out with the score Cleveland 66, Indiana 59 with 6:26 left in the third. It’s been an unfortunate stretch for the Pacers, and they’ve started turning the ball over at an alarming rate.

8:50 – Dispatches from Toronto!

8:55 – Back at the Quicken Loans Arena, we have a time out in between a pair of Domantis Sabonis free throws. The score’s Cleveland 73, Indiana 65 with 4:09 left in the third quarter. Despite the Cavs onslaught, the Pacers remain in shouting distance for the time being.

9:06 – Lance Stephenson beats the third quarter buzzer with a three! Even though the Pacers suffered from a usually deadly deficit of cold shooting and turnovers, they’re still in the game with the score Cleveland 81, Indiana 73 as we head down the stretch with LeBron up to 35 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists for the Cavs, while Domantis Sabonis has 14 off the bench to lead the Pacers.

9:10 – A Jeff Green three supplies the first points of the fourth quarter, pushing the Cavs lead up to 84-73.

9:14 – Domantis Sabonis backs his way towards the hoop and banks in a shot over Jeff Green. A time out is called with the score Cleveland 88, Indiana 82 with 7:57 remaining. So far, the Pacers have looked a lot better here in the fourth, however, they’ve been doing it with LeBron resting on the Cavalier bench.

9:27 – Final dispatches from Toronto!

Meanwhile, back at the Quicken Loans Arena, two LeBron free throws send us into a time out with the score Cleveland 95, Indiana 89 with 4:38 remaining. The Pacers have come close to making this one a one possession game, but their shooting’s still just cold enough to keep them from overtaking the Cavs. By the way, LeBron’s free throws has him up to 41 points, and he’s a perfect 15-15 from the line.

9:33 – We’ve got a time out with the score still Cleveland 95, Indiana 89 with 3:33 left in the game. Unfortunately, the Pacers have suffered back to back turnovers on their previous two possessions, a sequence indicative of their struggles throughout the second half.

9:34 – Game 5 between the Thunder and the Jazz is underway, unfortunately on NBA TV. The Jazz are trying to close out that series on the road, and I would so much rather watch that one than our next TNT game between the Rockets and Timberwolves.

9:35 – Bojan Bogdanovic misses a three, but tracks down his own offensive rebound, and dumps a pass off to Thaddeus Young who puts in a layup, and the Pacers have finally gotten to within one possession, trailing 95-93.

9:38 – Domantis Sabonis hits a little shot from the free throw line, and holy shit, this game is tied. The Cavs take a time out with the score Cleveland 95, Indiana 95 with 33.6 seconds to go.

9:39 – LeBron loses the ball out of bounds! The Pacers take a time out and will have the ball when we return with the score still tied at 95 with 26.3 seconds left. James just lost control of his dribble along the baseline.

9:42 – Victor Oladipo drives to the hoop….and he’s blocked by LeBron! As we go to a time out, we see the ball hitting the backboard before the block, meaning it should have been called a goaltend. Instead, the Cavs have the ball with three seconds left, and they take a time out.

9:43 – LeBron James knocks down a three at the buzzer! Our final score Cleveland 98, Indiana 95. That missed goaltend call…damn.

Obviously, that one’s going to sting the Pacers for a long time, but let the record show that they had many, many opportunities to get back into this game throughout the fourth quarter, but they just couldn’t make enough shots, and they turned the ball over much to often throughout the second half. That being said, that’s a soul crushing defeat for a team that proved themselves a worthy opponent, and despite their flawed performance tonight, still had a chance to steal the game.

As for the Cavs, they were rescued by LeBron, who has just about done it himself all series long. Like him or not, he is one of the greats, and his performance tonight is just the latest entry in his legendary career.

As the dust settles, LeBron finishes the night with 44 points, 10 rebounds and 8 assists on 14-24 shooting as well as a 15-15 mark from the free throw line. Kevin Love added 11 points and 10 rebounds, but shot 2-11 from the floor, and JR Smith was even worse with an 0-8 performance. Once again, LeBron is really doing this all by himself.

For the noble, but unfortunate Pacers, Domantis Sabonis came off the bench for 22 points and 5 rebounds. Victor Oladipo added 12 points and 12 rebounds, but he shot a disgusting 2-15 from the field.

This one is going to haunt the Pacers for awhile, especially if they fall in Game 6. Nevertheless, they continue to be unintimidated, and despite all of their struggles in the second half, they gave themselves a chance to grab a win. That being said, they also coughed up their halftime lead and it took them much too long to recover. They head back home for Game 6 facing elimination.

Indiana Pacers v Cleveland Cavaliers - Game Five

9:49 – We’re sent down to Houston for Game 5 between the Rockets and Timberwolves. Houston is looking to put an end to this series after running away with a big win in Game 4. Kevin Harlan and Reggie Miller will narrate the action for us.

9:51 – The Timberwolves win the opening tip, and we’re underway down in Houston.

9:53 – Karl-Anthony Towns spins and lays one in for the first bucket of the ballgame, giving the Timberwolves an early 2-0 lead. Trevor Ariza answers on the other end by beating the shot clock with a corner three to put the Rockets ahead, 3-2.

9:54 – News from beyond the playoffs!

It would be cool to see him at the helm of the Milwaukee Bucks. A successful coach like him might be able to guide their talented roster over the hump.

9:58 – Jeff Teague knocks down a three, and this one’s off to a good start as we head into our first time out with the score Minnesota 12, Houston 10 with 6:32 remaining in the opening quarter.

10:03 – Dispatches from Oklahoma City!

10:04 – A Clint Capela dunk sends us into another time out with the score Houston 16, Minnesota 14 with 4:25 left in the first quarter. There are way too many things happening at once in the NBA tonight.

10:14 – With Andrew Wiggins at the line, Kevin Harlan points out that his father, Mitchell, played for the Rockets back in the day. “In this building!” exclaims Reggie Miller. WRONG. Everyone knows the Rockets played at The Summit back when Mitchell Wiggins played, and did so up until the early 2000s. Come on, Reggie.

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Mitchell Wiggins driving to work at The Summit during his playing days with the Rockets.

10:16 – We’re here at the end of the first quarter with a score of Minnesota 26, Houston 25.

I have to say, I was disappointed about this being the late TNT game, but it’s been a good one so far. As always, the lesson here is that one should never bitch and moan about playoff basketball. It’s all awesome in one way or another. Anyway, Trevor Ariza and Clint Capela lead the Rockets with eight points apiece, and Taj Gibson’s eight leads the Timberwolves. A point of concern for Houston: James Harden and Chris Paul are a combined 1-7 from the field thus far.

10:20 – An Eric Gordon three turns out to be the first points of the second quarter, and it puts the Rockets ahead, 28-26.

10:23 – With Derrick Rose at the free throw line, Kevin Harlan says, “Reggie, comma, Rose…” in reference to his antics in Game 4. Harlan is one of the good ones. Reggie, on the other hand…

10:28 – After a James Harden turnover, we’ll have a time out with the score Minnesota 44, Houston 37 with 6:49 left in the first half. The Wolves are shooting 53.3% from the floor, including 5-8 from downtown. A big run from the Rockets seems inevitable, but as long as they continue to struggle shooting (5-18 on threes), let’s see if the Wolves can maintain, or even build upon, their lead.

10:36 – Trevor Ariza nails a three from the corner, and the Rockets have closed the gap to make the score Minnesota 51, Houston 47 with 3:46 left in the first half.

10:37 – Dispatches from Oklahoma City!

Oh dear.

10:48 – Back at The Summit The Toyota Center, we’ve reached halftime with a score of Minnesota 59, Houston 55.

Trevor Ariza and Clint Capela each have 13 points to lead the Rockets, and Capela’s hauled in eight rebounds as well. Eric Gordon’s come off the bench to put in 12 points. Jeff Teague has 14 points and 5 assists to lead the Wolves, and he’s doing it with a bandage on the dislocated pinky finger on his shooting hand that he suffered in Game 4. Karl-Anthony Towns added 13 points and 11 boards.

Chris Paul (1-7) and James Harden (2-9) continue to struggle from the floor, and with those two putting up those yucky numbers, the Timberwolves have to be wishing their lead was a lot larger than four. Will they be flushed down the toilet by another Rockets third quarter onslaught, or will the Rockets struggles continue just enough for the Wolves to eke out a win to extend the series?

10:59 – We take a live look at the proceedings down in Oklahoma City, and the Jazz have got their lead all the way up to 71-46 as a disgusted Charles Barkley rails against the Thunder. I am no longer angry about not being able to see this game.

11:04 – Back in Houston, Chris Paul banks in a close range shot, and the Rockets strike first in the third, to cut their deficit to 59-57.

11:05 – Karl-Anthony Towns easily puts the ball in against a smaller defender, and the Timberwolves are back up by four, at 61-57.

11:06 – James Harden nails a three, and the Rockets deficit is down to one at 61-60.

11:07 – PJ Tucker hits a three from the corner, and the Rockets take a 63-61 lead. This is already reminiscent of Game 4’s third quarter, in which the Rockets dropped 50 points.

11:08 – We have a time out after Chris Paul pulls up and hits a jumper to make the score Houston 65, Minnesota 61 with 9:17 left in the third.

11:12 – A pair of Karl-Anthony Towns free throws keeps the Timberwolves close, at least for now. They’re down, 65-63.

11:13 – Jeff Teague splits a pair of free throws, and now they’re down one, at 65-64.

11:15 – Taj Gibson bullies his way into the paint for a bucket, and the Timberwolves briefly retake the lead…

…but James Harden nails a three on the other end, and the Rockets hold a 68-66 advantage.

11:16 – James Harden ventures through the paint and throws down a big dunk, and the Rockets have matched their biggest lead of the night with a score of Houston 70, Minnesota 66 as we head into a time out with 6:30 left in the third quarter.

11:26 – Dispatches from Oklahoma City, where the situation has changed dramatically.

I am once again angry about not being able to see that game.

11:29 – Back in Houston, we have a ruckus! Jamal Crawford sends Chris Paul to the floor, and Paul grins back at Crawford from the floor as Jamal stood over him, and the two then got into each other’s faces a little. Beyond that, nothing noteworthy happened.

11:31 – Jamal Crawford is given a technical foul after all is said and done. James Harden hits the free throw to put the Rockets ahead, 85-70.

11:34 – Here at the end of the third quarter, our score’s Houston 85, Minnesota 74. It wasn’t quite Game 4’s third quarter, but the Rockets still managed to outscore the Wolves, 30-15 in tonight’s third. James Harden’s up to 20 points, 15 have come after halftime. Karl-Anthony Towns has 19 points and 13 rebounds for Minnesota.

11:38 – Eric Gordon leads off the fourth quarter with a transition layup, and he has 14 points, and the Rockets have the first points of the fourth to extend their lead to 87-74.

11:40 – Chris Paul gets into the paint for a little floater, and we’ve got a time out with the score Houston 92, Minnesota 76 with 9:37 left. I think I see the Timberwolves band starting to warmup…

11:49 – We’ll have a time out with the score Houston 98, Minnesota 82 with 6:33 left in the game. The Timberwolves band is now playing lively ragtime music in an attempt to keep everybody calm.

11:57 – Andrew Wiggins knocks down a three, but there’s not much time left for the Timberwolves with the score Houston 108, Minnesota 94 with 3:57 left in the game.

11:59 – After another live look in at the Thunder/Jazz game, in which OKC now has a 107-99 lead in the final minute, even Kevin Harlan seems forlorn that he got stuck with this game instead.

12:00 am – Final dispatches from an epic scene in Oklahoma City!

12:03 – As we go under a minute left, the Timberwolves band starts to play “Nearer My God To Thee”.

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12:06 – This one comes to a close with a final score of Houston 122, Minnesota 104.

Clint Capela capped off his excellent series with 26 points and 15 rebounds. James Harden shook off a poor start to finish with 24 points, 5 rebounds and 12 assists.

Karl-Anthony Towns, who improved as the series rolled along, finishes his first trip to the playoffs with 23 points and 14 rebounds, while Jamal Crawford dipped into the archives to submit a 20 point performance on 8-10 shooting off the bench. Jimmy Butler had just 8 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists, and was nowhere to be seen throughout the fourth quarter, the entirety of which he spent on the bench.

The Rockets did what they were supposed to do: take care of business against the 8-seed. While the Timberwolves were able to hang in there for stretches, they’re just not ready to go toe to toe with a team like the Rockets yet. Houston now awaits the winner of the ridiculous Thunder/Jazz series, which got extended tonight after OKC’s epic comeback victory.

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It was pretty wild tonight with four games crammed into the schedule. Tomorrow night features just one game: Game 6 between the Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks. That one starts at 8:00, so there should be no obstacles as far as me getting home in time for the tip off. Nothing is stopping The Bonus as the playoffs continue on.

 

NBA Playoffs – Day 10

Nothing beats getting home from work just in time for the start of another exciting evening of NBA playoff action, just as soon as Live Free or Die Hard ends on TNT. Tonight, we have a pair of Western Game 4s, starting off with the Rockets and Timberwolves. Minnesota got on the board in the series, and looked pretty good doing it, with a big win in Game 3. They’ve gotten quite a boost from none other than Derrick Rose off the bench, and the Target Center will be rocking as they look to tie the series against the mighty Rockets.

Speaking of rocking, perhaps no home crowd was more jazzed than the one in Utah during Game 3 of their series against the Thunder. Ricky Rubio had perhaps the game of his life as he led the home team to a big win. Of course, perhaps no team takes stuff like that more personally than the Oklahoma City Thunder, and you can be sure that Russell Westbrook will go out of his way to make life miserable for Rubio as the Thunder look to even that series. That could go either way, however, if Westbrook and the rest of the gang overdo it.

8:00 pm – All right, Bruce Willis saved the day, and thanks to him, it’s time for basketball! Ernie Johnson welcomes us to Studio J, where they already seem more excited for the late game out in Utah.

8:09 – Kevin Harlan welcomes us to the Target Center, where everyone is waving highlighter green towels. Unfortunately, where the great Kevin Harlan goes, the substandard Reggie Miller follows. You can’t win them all.

8:11 – The Timberwolves win the opening tip, and Jimmy Butler immediately drives to the hoop for a nice layup, getting the Wolves off and running with a 2-0 lead.

8:12 – Trevor Ariza knocks down a three, and the Rockets are on the board, down 4-3.

8:15 – Karl-Anthony Towns commits his second foul early, and he’s off to the bench. After coming alive a bit in Game 3, this is the last thing the struggling Minnesota center needs.

8:19 – Jimmy Butler has the ball knocked out of bounds by one of the Rockets, and we’ll have a time out with an early score of Houston 11, Minnesota 8 with an even six minutes left in the first quarter. All eleven Rockets points have come from Trevor Ariza, who is a perfect 3-3 from the field. Everyone else is 0-8, including an 0-5 start from James Harden.

8:25 – Jeff Teague is off to the Timberwolves locker room after hurting his hand. Derrick Rose comes into the ballgame to replace him.

8:28 – James Harden misses a baseline jumper, and after it goes bouncing out of bounds, we’ll have a time out with the score Houston 16, Minnesota 15 with 2:12 remaining in an offensively challenged first quarter. Harden’s now 0-7 to start the game.

8:30 – A commercial advertising the special “NEW ENGLAND EDITION” of the Ford F-150 comes on with footage of those glorious trucks driving on what is clearly a desert road. Nothing reminds me of home more than those vast New England deserts.

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Me stuck in traffic in the mighty New England desert during my commute to work.

8:35 – We’re here at the end of the first quarter with a score of Minnesota 21, Houston 21. Once again, Derrick Rose is providing productive minutes for the Timberwolves to help keep them even in what’s been a defensive struggle so far. Jimmy Butler leads the Wolves with six points, and Trevor Ariza still has 11 to lead the Rockets. Also…

8:39 – Clint Capela leads off the second quarter with a dunk, and the Rockets break the tie with a 23-21 lead. For the Wolves, Jeff Teague has indeed returned.

8:41 – PJ Tucker is down on the sideline after banging knees with Jeff Teague. He’s taken to the locker room and will hopefully be able to return.

8:44 – Tucker has returned to the Rockets bench.

8:47 – Karl-Anthony Towns gets to the bucket for a hoop, and a foul! He’s looking much more aggressive here in the second quarter, and we’ll have a time out with the score Minnesota 38, Houston 33 with 6:39 left until halftime. Reggie Miller nearly ruins everything by referring to him as “KAThmandu.”

8:53 – James Harden nails a step-back three, his second straight shot after starting the game 0-7, and the Rockets are on a 7-0 run to inspire a Timberwolves time out with the score Houston 40, Minnesota 39 with 5:14 left in the first half.

9:00 – Derrick Rose soars for a rebound and takes it all the way down the court for a layup! I have to say, I am really enjoying the appearance of VINTAGE ROSE in this series. Bonus points because Kevin Harlan accidentally called him “Reggie Rose”, which is obviously somehow Reggie Miller’s fault. Anyway, we’ll have a time out with the score Minnesota 46, Houston 46 with 2:44 left in the second quarter.

9:07 – We’re here at halftime with the score Houston 50, Minnesota 49. Reggie Derrick Rose and his 11 points off the bench lead the Wolves, while his former Bulls teammate Jimmy Butler has added 10 points and 6 rebounds. Trevor Ariza leads the Rockets with 13, and James Harden’s up to 12 after shaking off a poor start. Clint Capela chimed in with 7 points and 11 rebounds.

It’s been an entertaining game so far, and the Timberwolves have battled well. At one point in the second quarter, the Rockets got hot from downtown, and looked primed to go on a big run, but the Wolves didn’t allow it, and here we are in a one point game at the break.

9:12 – You know what? Let’s do an episode of Today in NBA Playoff History, presented by Basketball-Reference.

Way back in 1950, the old Minneapolis Lakers won their second championship with a 110-95 Game 6 victory over the old Syracuse Nationals. George Mikan had 40 points for the Lakers, and Jim Pollard added 16 points and 10 assists. Dolph Schayes scored 23 for the Nats, but it wasn’t nearly enough to stop the Lakers.

The Minneapolis Lakers were the original professional basketball dynasty, winning five championships in six years (1949, 1950, 1952, 1953 and 1954), and Mikan was the OG dominant big man that wreaked havoc up and down the league. Eventually, they moved to Los Angeles, and built a couple more dynasties over decades. Wolves fans can take solace that this has been one of the rare seasons where they have it better than the Lakers.

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9:24 – James Harden gets around Karl-Anthony Towns for a layup to put the Rockets up, 52-49, with the first points of the second half.

9:25 – Chris Paul gets a very friendly bounce on a three, putting the Rockets up, 55-49. Kevin Harlan calls him “Reggie Paul”.

9:26 – With James Harden at the free throw line, Harlan says, “Reggie Harden’s at the free throw line”, although, in this case, I think he meant, “Reggie, Harden’s at the free throw line…” Commas can make all the difference.

9:27 – Harlan calls Jeff Teague, “Reggie Teague”.

9:28 – James Harden knocks down a jumper, and the Rockets have started the second half on fire, making the score Houston 63, Minnesota 51 with 8:27 left in the third quarter. This one was fun while it lasted.

9:32 – Okay, Kevin Harlan is definitely just saying “Reggie, (insert player)” and having a ton of fun with it by making it sound like a full name. Either that, or this is part of some sort of bet he made with someone.

9:37 – Now Reggie Miller calls Ricky Rubio, “Marco Rubio”, and Harlan hits us with a “Reggie, Paul”. Send help.

9:38 – We have a time out after Derrick Rose finds Karl-Anthony Towns at the other end of the court for an easy dunk, but the game’s gotten away from the Wolves with the score Houston 77, Minnesota 58 with 5:13 left in the third.

9:53 – Eric Gordon ends the third quarter with a three at the buzzer, getting the Rockets up to 50 points in the quarter, matching their output for the entire first half. It makes our score Houston 100, Minnesota 69 after a demoralizing display of offense from the Rockets.

Andrew Wiggins and Derrick Rose lead the Timberwolves with 14, and James Harden’s up to 34 to lead the Rockets.

9:57 – Chris Paul hits the first bucket of the fourth quarter, pushing the Rockets lead up to 102-69.

10:03 – James Harden reenters the game as the Timberwolves have cut the Rockets lead down to 29.

10:06 – We’ve got a time out after Trevor Ariza fouls Karl-Anthony Towns with our score Houston 110, Minnesota 84 with 6:42 left in the ballgame.

10:13 – Karl-Anthony Towns hits a jumper, and the Wolves are on a little run to make our score Houston 112, Minnesota 94 with 4:47 remaining. In other news, check out this fun fact about that epic third quarter…

10:24 – We’ve thankfully reached the end of the ballgame with a final score of Houston 119, Minnesota 100. Karl-Anthony Towns led the Wolves with 22 points and 15 boards. James Harden poured in 36 for the Rockets, Chris Paul added 25 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists and 5 steals, and Clint Capela notched 14 points, 17 rebounds and four blocks.

That went to hell real fast. The Rockets found their groove in the third quarter, and once they did, the Wolves had no chance. It was just an instance of a really talented team putting it all together during an extended stretch, something we’ve seen all the great teams do over the course of NBA history. When it happens, it’s both special, and demoralizing. The Rockets now have a 3-1 series lead, and can wrap things up at home in Game 5.

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10:30 – Coming up next is tonight’s main event, Game 4 between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Utah Jazz. It was a rousing win for the Jazz in Game 3, and the Thunder will be looking to score some revenge tonight. It should be a good-ass battle. Russell Westbrook has vowed to, “shut that shit off” after Ricky Rubio’s triple double in Game 3, and in a few minutes, we’ll get to see if Westbrook can back that shit up.

10:38 – We’re sent out to Salt Lake City, Utah for Game 4 between Oklahoma City and Utah. The soothing voices of Ian Eagle and Brent Barry will narrate.

10:40 – The Thunder win the opening tip, and we’re underway out in SLC. Corey Brewer quickly hits a three pointer to give OKC an opening 3-0 lead.

10:42 – Ricky Rubio finds Donovan Mitchell with a nice pass, and Mitchell dumps it off to Rudy Gobert for a dunk to stylishly get the Jazz on the board, down 5-2.

10:44 – We have an early ruckus as Donovan Mitchell and Paul George exchange some unfriendly words after George pushes Joe Ingles away from him as the Aussie antagonist crowded him while he was preparing to inbound the ball. George earns a technical foul, and Ricky Rubio hits the free throw, and the Jazz trail early, 7-5.

10:48 – Paul George gets a steal and takes it all the way for a layup, and we’ll have our first time out with the score Oklahoma City 13, Utah 10 with 6:44 left in the first quarter. The hatred is flowing early in Game 4 of what’s definitely become one of the better series of the first round.

10:58 – Westbrook gets a little too aggressive and Rubio draws a foul against him before the Jazz inbound the ball, which means Rubio gets to shoot a free throw. That’s two fouls on Westbrook as the game continues to be mean spirited. Westbrook remains in the game.

11:03 – Royce O’Neale knocks down a three, and we’ll have a time out with the score Oklahoma City 26, Utah 22 with 1:45 left in an angry first quarter.

11:11 – The first quarter comes to an end with the scoreboard reading Oklahoma City 30, Utah 24. Donovan Mitchell leads the Jazz with seven points, and Paul George has nine to lead the Thunder. Westbrook has 8 points, 2 rebounds and 3 assists, while Rubio’s managed just two points and shot 0-1 from the field.

11:16 – Two Paul George free throws provide the first points of the second quarter, pushing the Thunder lead up to 32-24.

11:17 – Jae Crowder hits an open three, and we’ll have a quick time out with the score Oklahoma City 32, Utah 27 with 10:50 left until halftime.

11:25 – A technical foul on Steven Adams coming back up the court after a Westbrook layup. He gave Rudy Gobert a minor swing of the arm and immediately got hit with the T. With all of the animosity flowing, it seems the refs are going to have a hair trigger when it comes to doling out technicals.

11:29 – Westbrook, in his continuing effort to shit that shit off, emphatically blocks, but fouls Ricky Rubio, and that’s three on the OKC point guard. He remains in the game.

11:32 – With Paul George at the free throw line, Jazz fans unleash their “PUSHOFF P” chant. Not the best chant I’ve ever heard, but definitely not the worst.

11:37 – We’ve got a time out after Ricky Rubio makes a spectacular save on an errant pass going out of bounds. Royce O’Neale grabs it, and passes it back to Rubio in the corner…who misses a three. It was almost awesome. Rudy Gobert fights for the rebound and it goes out of bounds off the Thunder. Our score’s Oklahoma City 43, Utah 41 with an even four minutes until halftime.

11:43 – Russell Westbrook runs over Ricky Rubio, committing his fourth foul, much to the delight of none other than Mitt Romney! Bad news for the Thunder.

11:45 – A technical foul on Joe Ingles after he’s hit three straight threes and forced Paul George into a backcourt violation. Ingles is very much enjoying himself.

11:46 – We’ve reached halftime with a score of Utah 58, Oklahoma City 52. Donovan Mitchell has 13 points to lead the Jazz, while Russell Westbrook has 15 for the Thunder, as well as those precarious four fouls. Paul George has 13 points and 5 rebounds for OKC.

The Jazz went on a little run towards the end of the half, helped along by Westbrook’s absence. It’s been a hotly contested affair, but the Jazz are doing a better job keeping their cool, and getting under their opponent’s skin. It doesn’t hurt that they have a raucous crowd behind them. We should be in for a great second half.

12:03 am – Ricky Rubio lobs one up for Derrick Favors who slams it home to loudly give the Jazz the first points of the second half, and a 60-52 lead.

12:07 – Ricky Rubio lobs another one up, this time for Rudy Gobert, who slams it home, and the Jazz have kicked off the second half on a 9-0 run to make the score Utah 67, Oklahoma City 52 with 9:54 left in the third.

12:18 – Ricky Rubio darts around and gets open to knock down a jumper, sending us into a time out with the score Utah 78, Oklahoma City 64 with 5:38 left in the third quarter.

12:23 – In case you were wondering just who was on the back of that jersey Mitt Romney was wearing…

I’m very disappointed that it didn’t turn out to be a Jeff Judkins jersey.

12:30 – A rousing “WESTBROOK SUCKS” chant breaks out as Russell shoots a couple of free throws.

12:33 – We’re here at the end of the third quarter with the score Utah 90, Oklahoma City 73. Donovan Mitchell’s up to 24 points for the Jazz, while Paul George has 22 points and 6 rebounds for the increasingly hapless Thunder.

This might have actually been worse than the third quarter the Timberwolves had, at least they were still trying, sometimes a superior team just takes it to a new level. But here, the Thunder can’t buy a shot, can’t stop anyone on defense, and on top of that, they’re committing a lot of dumb fouls and turnovers and generally not playing as a team, and the Jazz are running a damn clinic on them.

12:38 – Ray Felton misses a pair of free throws, meaning everyone in the crowd gets free Chick-Fil-A. Everything’s going Utah’s way.

12:39 – A Paul George layup gets us the first points of the fourth quarter, cutting the Thunder deficit to 90-75.

12:44 – Ray Felton hits Rudy Gobert in the nuts, and he’s fairly pissed off, and both teams need to be separated from one another as Russell Westbrook comes over for a shove and some choice words. Felton and Gobert get technical fouls, while Westbrook gets nothing.

12:48 – A time out is called and Westbrook gets into Joe Ingles face for a brief moment before everyone goes their separate ways. The score’s Utah 99, Oklahoma City 81 with 6:39 left in the game.

12:54 – Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!

Russell Westbrook fouls Jae Crowder with a slap and Jae Crowder gets in his face, and as Steven Adams and Carmelo Anthony hit the scene, Crowder sends a forearm right into Adams face. It’s questionable whether or not Crowder saw Adams or hit him on purpose, but it either way, it incited a bit of a scene. The refs are taking a look. To me, it looked like Crowder was trying to slap away Anthony’s arm, which was close to his face, and inadvertently hit Adams, but who knows.

12:59 – All right, Jae Crowder’s been ejected, and Russell Westbrook has his fifth foul. Crowder finishes the night with six points and seven rebounds off the bench.

1:08 – We’ve got a time out after Rudy Gobert commits a loose ball foul, and score’s Utah 105, Oklahoma City 90 with 2:30 left in the game.

1:14 – Joe Ingles hits another three, and for roughly the 498th time tonight, stares down Paul George afterwards. We’ll have another time out with the score Utah 111, Oklahoma City 91 with 1:28 remaining.

Oh, and…

1:17 – This one comes to an end with a final score of Utah 113, Oklahoma City 96.

Donovan Mitchell scored 33 points and grabbed 7 rebounds for the Jazz. Joe Ingles added 20 points, and Rudy Gobert submitted 16 points and 10 boards. Paul George had 32 points and 6 rebounds for the Thunder, and Russell Westbrook finished with 23 points and 14 rebounds, and as for shutting that shit off, Ricky Rubio finished the night with 13 points, 6 rebounds and 8 assists.

The Thunder came into this game confident that they’d even the series, but they were sorely mistaken. They took their Game 3 loss too personally, and didn’t play as a team as individual players tried to do too much on their own. Eventually, the Thunder wilted in the face of a fired up team and a lively crowd. Now, they head back home on the ropes, down 3-1 to a Jazz squad that clearly doesn’t fear them.

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After tonight, we’ve got two teams on the ropes. Tomorrow night sees three games, and I am already angry because my Celtics tip off at seven, and there’s no way in hell I will be home from work in time for it. Nevertheless, I’ll be here, joining that game in progress and continuing on through the night after what’s surely to be a harrowing commute home across the vast and unforgiving New England desert. If only I had that F-150.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.