2008 NBA Playoffs

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Celtics beat Hawks 96-77 to take 2-0 playoff lead
04/24/2008 | 11:16 AM
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BOSTON - Rajon Rondo outplayed Mike Bibby and helped the Boston Celtics silence Atlanta and its blustery point guard. Kevin Garnett had 19 points and 10 rebounds, and Rondo added 12 points, eight assists and six rebounds to lead Boston to a 96-77 victory over Atlanta on Wednesday night and a 2-0 lead in the first-round series.

Paul Pierce returned from a first-quarter knockdown to score 14 points, and Kendrick Perkins added eight points and nine rebounds for the Celtics.

Josh Smith, who helped take Pierce down and appeared to land on him and roll over his head, had 13 points and eight rebounds for Atlanta. But it was Bibby, who called the locals fair-weather fans during the week, who drew the ire of the sold-out Boston Garden crowd.

Bibby was booed at every touch from the opening introductions. As he sat on the bench in the fourth quarter and the game out of reach, the fans chanted "Where is Bibby?" and "Rondo's better." In the first two games of the series combined, Bibby is 4-for-17 from the field with two assists.

Fair-weather or not, the Celtics earned the right to play in front of their home fans with the NBA's best record in the regular season.

And it's paying off with the 2-0 lead.

Game 3 is Saturday in Atlanta.

The crowd brought a buzz to the new Boston Garden, setting the tone with a standing pregame ovation when Garnett was presented with the defensive player of the year award. With the fans chanting for him to pick up another award — MVP — Garnett motioned for his teammates to join him at center court, then raised the trophy above his head.

The Hawks came out feisty and physical. Just 82 seconds in, Joe Johnson fouled Pierce to keep him from an easy layup. Smith came in from the side and slammed Pierce to the floor and landed on top of his chest before rolling over his head.

The Celtics, especially Perkins, took exception, and coach Doc Rivers ran onto the court to keep his young center from escalating the incident.

Pierce gingerly shot two free throws, making the second and staying in the game despite obvious pain until Rivers called a timeout to sub for him. The Celtics forward flopped onto the court in front of the bench before two people helped him up and escorted him to the locker room.

He returned for the start of the second quarter.

It remained quiet until James Posey of the Celtics was called for a flagrant foul when he knocked Smith to the floor with 8:39 left in the game.

Notes:@ The Celtics have outscored Atlanta in each of the eight quarters in the series. ... Actor Bruce Willis was in the crowd. ... The Hawks shot 38 percent (23-for-60). ... Garnett made just two of 10 shots in the second half. - AP

[AUSTIN316]

Kobe leads Lakers to 2nd playoff win vs Nuggets, 122-107
04/24/2008 | 01:37 PM
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(Updated) LOS ANGELES - Kobe Bryant scored big at the start and finish Wednesday night. In between, he set up his teammates for easy baskets. It turned out to be a winning formula. Bryant had 49 points and 10 assists, and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Denver Nuggets 122-107 to take a 2-0 lead in their first-round playoff series.

Games 3 and 4 will be in Denver on Saturday and Monday night.

Bryant, who was 18-for-27 from the field and finished one point off his career playoff high, scored 20 points in the first quarter to get the Lakers off to a fast start, and 19 over the last seven minutes to keep them safely ahead. He left with 2:02 remaining to a loud ovation and chants of "MVP, MVP" from the capacity crowd of 18,997 at Staples Center.

Bryant was replaced by Coby Karl, the son of Denver coach George Karl. It was the first time in NBA playoff history that a father has coached against his son.

Pau Gasol added 18 points and 10 rebounds and Luke Walton scored 18 points for the Lakers. Lamar Odom, hampered by foul trouble throughout the second half, was held to four points, four rebounds and six assists, but in the end it didn't matter.

Allen Iverson had 31 points and six assists to lead the Nuggets. Carmelo Anthony added 23 points, J.R. Smith had a career playoff high 21 and Marcus Camby had 17 rebounds for Denver. Kenyon Martin, who fouled out with 5:47 remaining, scored 10 points.

The Lakers led 89-79 entering the fourth quarter. The Nuggets drew within five points three times before a three-point play by Bryant made it 101-93, and that was only the beginning.

Two foul shots by Bryant in a span of two seconds after technical fouls against Smith and Iverson made it 105-94 with 5:37 left, and Bryant added a 3-pointer 18 seconds later to extend the Los Angeles lead to 14.

Game over.

Anthony scored seven straight points to trigger an 11-0 run, giving Denver a 68-67 lead midway through the third quarter. With Odom on the bench with four fouls, Los Angeles appeared to be in some trouble. But Walton scored 10 points during a 22-11 spurt to finish the quarter and give the Lakers a 10-point lead. Bryant had four assists during the run.

Linas Kleiza made just his 14th start of the season in place of Anthony Carter, giving Denver more firepower and additional size. The move paid off early as Kleiza and Anthony both scored six points to help the Nuggets take a 20-14 lead.

Then Bryant went to work, scoring 16 of his 20 first-quarter points in the final 4 1/2 minutes of the period as the Lakers outscored the Nuggets 19-12 for a 33-32 lead. Bryant shot 8-for-10 in the period, compared to his 9-for-26 effort in Game 1, when he scored 18 of his 32 points in the final 8 1/2 minutes of the Lakers' 128-114 victory.

The Lakers outscored Denver 14-4 to start the second quarter for a 47-36 lead. Bryant had 25 points in the first half, which ended with Los Angeles on top 59-49. Gasol, who had 36 points, 16 rebounds and eight assists in Game 1, had just four points, four rebounds and no assists at the midway point of this game.

Notes:@ Bryant's 20 first-quarter points were two shy of the Lakers' playoff record. Elgin Baylor scored 22 in a quarter on March 15, 1961, against Detroit. ... Backup forward/center Ronny Turiaf stayed home because on tonsillitis. Lakers spokesman John Black said the team expects Turiaf to make the trip to Denver on Friday. Turiaf, who has been sick for several days and played only three minutes in Game 1, averaged 6.6 points and 3.9 rebounds in 78 games during the regular season. ... Karl took Turiaf's place on the active roster. Father and son are very close. "I saw him last night, I think he wore every piece of Lakers gear he owns," the elder Karl said. ... Denver's Nene returned to action and had two points and one rebound in seven first-half minutes. He missed Denver's previous seven games because of a strained right groin. - AP

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Nuggets glad to be back in homecourt after twin losses
04/25/2008 | 08:59 AM

Email this | Email the Editor | Print | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us DENVER - The Denver Nuggets couldn't defend Pau Gasol in Game 1 or Kobe Bryant in Game 2.

So, what makes them think they can turn things around in their first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers?

"We're home, man," Allen Iverson said. "They got a chance to play in front of their home crowd, and we want that same type of advantage playing in front of ours."

The homecourt is about the only thing the Nuggets have successfully defended all season.

They rode the energy of the Pepsi Center to a 33-8 record, including a series of clutch must-win triumphs over the final six weeks that allowed them to reach the playoffs for the fifth straight season.

"It's our turn to hold serve," Nuggets coach George Karl said Thursday. "It's a great challenge, a lot of fun. The homecourt's been kind of our biggest ally all year long."

Game 3 is Saturday and Game 4 is Monday night.

The Nuggets looked haggard as they filtered out of film study Thursday, most of them not wanting to stop and talk about being in a 2-0 hole after allowing a staggering 250 points so far.

"I think it might just be a travel day of getting to bed at 4:30 in the morning," Karl said. "There's a heaviness to waiting sometimes. We'll have a good practice tomorrow. I thought we got a little bit better last night. We didn't get better enough to win the game, but we got a little bit better."

The Nuggets hung with the Lakers until the fourth quarter after watching Gasol tear them up for 36 points in a 128-114 loss in Game 1. But Bryant scored 19 points in a 4:19 stretch of the fourth quarter, leading L.A. to a 122-107 win Wednesday night.

The Nuggets, however, insist they'll show up Saturday with a swagger and not a stagger.

"My sense is all year long when this team had its true back to the wall, they've responded great and the homecourt's been a big part of that," Karl said. "I think there's an energy out there. Statistically there's all sorts of positives that come our way here. We play better defense here. We make people miss more shots here. ..."

And all those clutch wins late in the season give the Nuggets plenty of confidence they can come back on L.A.

"Well, to us they were pretty much like playoff games," Marcus Camby said. "Going down that stretch, especially, late March and all of April, were all must-wins. So, we pretty much know how to perform under pressure."

The Nuggets ranked next-to-last in the NBA by allowing 107 points a game in the regular season despite leading the league in both blocks (6.72) and steals (9.17). So, it's not surprising the Lakers have piled up 250 points.

"It's a high-paced game," Gasol said. "They keep it real fast, an up-and-down game. You take advantage of what they give you."

Opponents haven't had as much success against the Nuggets in Denver, and Bryant said it's imperative for the Lakers to duplicate their energy, execution and emotion on the road to change that.

"Not getting too high, not getting too low. Even keel, keeping our poise," Bryant said. "They're a great home team. I think altitude is a factor the first few minutes. They play with a lot of energy.

"I think we're doing OK, we're playing typical playoff basketball. That being said, we haven't put together four explosive quarters that I think we're capable of. The important thing is getting the Ws."

Lakers point guard Derek Fisher isn't expecting any surprises from the Nuggets in Game 3, either.

"I don't think you're going to see wholesale changes. They believe in their style of play," Fisher said. "Defensively, I think they'll play even more zone than we saw last night. I don't expect them to do too many things differently than they've done so far. I just expect them to do them better on their home court."

So do the Nuggets.

"We still feel good about ourselves," Linas Kleiza said. "We've got to do what we're supposed to do, and that's defend our homecourt. We've been good all year at our home, so it should be exciting if we do that and the series is back where it started."

Notes:@ Ronny Turiaf, who missed Game 2 with tonsillitis, is expected to make the trip to Denver on Friday. ... Karl on his son, Coby, playing against the Nuggets in Game 2: "It's a proud moment for the family that is to be cherished and celebrated. But it will not be done in the next two weeks." - AP

[AUSTIN316]

Gilbert Arenas returns to Wizards' starting lineup
04/25/2008 | 08:12 AM

Email this | Email the Editor | Print | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us WASHINGTON - Gilbert Arenas was listed in the starting lineup Thursday night for the Washington Wizards, who needed a spark after going down 0-2 in their playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The three-time All-Star started for the first time since Nov. 16, his last game before having a second surgery on his left knee. He missed 66 straight games and had been used as a reserve since returning late in the regular season.

Arenas was on the starting lineup sheet made available about 30 minutes before tip-off. A few minutes earlier, coach Eddie Jordan said Antonio Daniels would be starting at point guard but left open the possibility of a last-minute switch.

"It has to be the right time and at the right place, so is this the right time and right place?" Jordan said. "It still could be an 11th hour adjustment, but right now Antonio's starting."

Arenas scored 24 points on 8-for-16 shooting in Game 1, but he labored in Game 2, scoring 7 points on 2-for-10 shooting in the Wizards' 30-point loss.

Arenas wasn't the only change for Game 3. Several Wizards had spent some time with the barber.

Caron Butler had his nickname — "Tough Juice" — etched into the back of his hair. DeShawn Stevenson and Andray Blatche sported mohawks, and Nick Young showed off a modified high-top fade.

"It's a little something I pulled out of the archives right there," said Butler, who, like most of his teammates, has been struggling with his shot. "I want to go with the '80s theme, so I put 'Tough Juice' on the back. It'll help my rhythm out. It ain't been there, so I'm trying to get it lined back up."

Even Jordan had a colorful comment when asked about his message over the last couple of days. He said the theme was "trust and discipline" and called himself the "enforcer" of the discipline.

The mild-mannered Jordan? An enforcer?

"In a general, passive sense, yes," said.

But "passive" and "enforcer" don't seem to go together.

"Well, it can. It's sort of a Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King sort of thing," Jordan said with a chuckle. "Nonviolent protest." - AP

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Brown resigns as 76ers VP to return to coaching
04/25/2008 | 08:47 AM

Email this | Email the Editor | Print | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us PHILADELPHIA - Larry Brown wants one more stop on his nomadic coaching career.

Brown resigned as Philadelphia's executive vice president on Thursday with the intent to pursue a coaching job at the NBA or college level. Brown has been a winner at every stop, yet hasn't coached since a bitter split with the Knicks and then-team president Isiah Thomas after his only season in New York in 2005-06.

"He has the taste of coaching back in his mouth," Brown's agent, Joe Glass, said. "It would be refreshing to have a situation going that he could enjoy, rather than the last one, to say the least."

Glass said Brown, who won an NBA title with Detroit and a college title with Kansas, would not rule out returning to either level.

Brown rejoined the Sixers last season as consultant and was hired in January 2007 as a VP more than three years after he quit his coaching job to take the same position in Detroit. Brown resigned as coach of the 76ers in 2003 after six often-turbulent seasons in which he helped rebuild a struggling franchise. He led the Sixers to the 2001 NBA finals.

"Larry was born to coach and this is something he and I talked about when I took the job here back in December, so it comes as no surprise to me," 76ers president Ed Stefanski said. - AP

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Another guilty plea in NBA referee betting scandal
04/25/2008 | 08:58 AM

Email this | Email the Editor | Print | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us NEW YORK - A professional gambler pleaded guilty on Thursday to making bets based on inside tips from former NBA referee Tim Donaghy.

James Battista told a judge in federal court in Brooklyn he hatched a scheme in late 2006 with another old friend of Donaghy, Thomas Martino, to pay the referee thousands of dollars for the information while Battista was "engaged in the business of sports betting."

Battista's lawyer had notified the court last week that his client wanted to go to trial rather than plead guilty to charges of defrauding the NBA, as Martino did earlier this month. But he changed his mind after prosecutors offered a last-minute deal allowing him to instead plead guilty to a lesser charge of conspiring to make illegal bets, said the lawyer, Jack McMahon.

"He's a gambler, and he bet," McMahon said. "We never really contested that."

The deal spares Donaghy from having to testify as the government's star witness at a high-profile federal trial. It also means Battista, 42, will face only 10 to 16 months in prison at sentencing on July 11. By contrast, Martino faces 12 to 18 months.

Donaghy, of Bradenton, Fla., pleaded guilty last year to charges he conspired to engage in wire fraud and transmitted betting information through interstate commerce.

The referee said he made NBA bets for four years, even wagering on games he worked. He also admitted recommending bets to high-stakes gamblers and collecting $5,000 if his picks hit.

Donaghy, 41, is scheduled to be sentenced May 22. By law, he faces up to 25 years in prison, though the term could be much lower under sentencing guidelines.

The three men attended high school together in Springfield, Pa. - AP

[AUSTIN316]

Arenas hurts knee again after return to starting lineup
04/25/2008 | 09:49 AM

Email this | Email the Editor | Print | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us WASHINGTON - Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas, starting for the first time since November, left the game after injuring his surgically repaired knee in the first half Thursday night against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Arenas walked off the court late in the first half with an obvious limp. The team said he had a bone bruise in his left knee and would not return. He was listed as day-to-day.

The three-time All-Star had not started since Nov. 16, his last game before having a second surgery on the knee. He missed 66 straight games and had been used as a reserve since returning late in the regular season.

Arenas was on the starting lineup sheet made available about 30 minutes before tip-off. A few minutes earlier, coach Eddie Jordan said Antonio Daniels would be starting at point guard but left open the possibility of a last-minute switch, possibly to spark a team that was down 0-2 in the first-round playoff series.

"It has to be the right time and at the right place, so is this the right time and right place?" Jordan said. "It still could be an 11th hour adjustment, but right now Antonio's starting."

Arenas scored 24 points on 8-for-16 shooting in Game 1, but he labored in Game 2, scoring seven points on 2-for-10 shooting in the Wizards' 30-point loss.

In 10 minutes in Game 3, Arenas scored two points and had three assists. He rode an exercise bike in one of the tunnels in between his two stints in the game.

Arenas wasn't the only change for Game 3. Several Wizards had spent some time with the barber.

Caron Butler had his nickname — "Tough Juice" — etched into the back of his hair. DeShawn Stevenson and Andray Blatche sported mohawks, and Nick Young showed off a modified high-top fade.

"It's a little something I pulled out of the archives right there," said Butler, who, like most of his teammates, has been struggling with his shot. "I want to go with the '80s theme, so I put 'Tough Juice' on the back. It'll help my rhythm out. It ain't been there, so I'm trying to get it lined back up."

Even Jordan had a colorful comment when asked about his message over the last couple of days. He said the theme was "trust and discipline" and called himself the "enforcer" of the discipline.

The mild-mannered Jordan? An enforcer?

"In a general, passive sense, yes," said.

But "passive" and "enforcer" don't seem to go together.

"Well, it can. It's sort of a Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King sort of thing," Jordan said with a chuckle. "Nonviolent protest." - AP

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Raptors take Game 3, cut Orlando's lead to 2-1
04/25/2008 | 10:25 AM

Email this | Email the Editor | Print | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us (Update) TORONTO - T.J. Ford scored 21 points, Jose Calderon had 18 points and 13 assists, and the Toronto Raptors beat the Orlando Magic 108-94 on Thursday night in Game 3 of their first-round playoff series.

Dwight Howard had 19 points and 12 rebounds for the Magic, who lead the best-of-seven series 2-1. Hedo Turkoglu added 24 points and Rashard Lewis had 19.

Jamario Moon had 11 points and 10 rebounds in his return to the starting lineup for Toronto, while Chris Bosh and Jason Kapono each scored 15 points and Anthony Parker 10.

The Raptors finished 12-for-34 from 3-point range and set playoff highs for points in a game and a half (61).

Game 4 is Saturday afternoon in Toronto.

Keith Bogans had 12 for the Magic, who trailed by as many as 23.

Orlando guard Jameer Nelson collapsed with back spasms as he was walking back the locker room after the game and was seen writhing on the floor in pain. Hampered by foul trouble, Nelson went 2-for-8 and scored six points, all in the fourth quarter.

The Raptors were unable to overcome double-digit deficits in the first quarter of Games 1 and 2, and were determined to start better up north.

With Moon back in the starting lineup in place of Rasho Nesterovic, the Raptors had the energy they needed. Down 6-2 early, Toronto responded with a 16-3 run over the next four minutes. Moon capped it with a breakaway dunk, forcing Orlando to call timeout trailing 18-9.

With his teammates struggling, Howard's inside dominance kept Orlando close. He had 13 points and five rebounds in the opening frame, but Toronto led 28-20 after 12 minutes.

Besides Howard, the Magic shot 3-for-15 in the opening quarter.

The Raptors pulled further away in the second, holding Howard to just two points and finishing the half with a flurry sparked by Ford.

The diminutive guard played just 3 1/2 minutes in the quarter but made the most of them, scoring 11 points. Ford drained jumpers on three straight trips and Bargnani added a 3-pointer as the Raptors reeled off a 9-0 run, pushing their lead to 56-35.

Bosh didn't make his first field goal until a breakaway dunk with 12 seconds left in the first half, putting Toronto up 61-38. Carlos Arroyo replied with a layup to make it 61-40 at the break.

Lewis opened the third with back-to-back 3-pointers and had 12 points in the quarter as Orlando outscored Toronto 29-19, cutting the gap to 80-69 heading into the fourth.

Nelson picked up his fourth foul less than two minutes into the third and headed to the bench. Joining him there later was Howard, who was whistled for three fouls in the third, two of them offensive, and was replaced by Marcin Gortat with 1:39 remaining.

Notes:@ The Magic started 0-for-7 from beyond the 3-point line. Keith Bogans snapped the skid with a 3 with 2:45 left in the first quarter. ... Howard, who was 14-for-20 from the free throw line in the first two games of the series, went 3-for-8 Thursday. ... Toronto outrebounded Orlando 42-34. - AP

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Wizards get off ropes, dominate Cavs in Game 3
04/25/2008 | 10:56 AM

Email this | Email the Editor | Print | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us WASHINGTON - LeBron James went up for the shot and had the ball stripped cleanly by Caron Butler, who went the length of the court for a dunk that gave the Washington Wizards a 29-point lead.

That's right. No contact on the play. Even James couldn't call it "Hack-a-Bron." James was beaten on the play and he knew it, much the same way his Cleveland Cavaliers beaten soundly by the Washington Wizards, 108-72 on Thursday night.

Maybe it was the haircuts. Maybe it was Soulja Boy sitting on Row 1. Or the sight of Colin Powell in a Wizards "White Out" T-shirt. Or just the comfort of being home. Or the inspiration of having Gilbert Arenas in the starting lineup, even though he limped out of the game in the first half and might be done for the series.

Actually, there were plenty of reasons the Wizards routed their playoff nemesis in a party at the Verizon Center. DeShawn Stevenson and Butler found their games. James didn't have his. And, yes, those 15 first-half Cleveland turnovers had a lot to do with it, too.

Stevenson had a "can't-feel-my-face" 19 points, Butler scored 17 — highlighted by an incredible layup move in the first half — and the Wizards shot 52 percent and took themselves off the ropes by cutting Cleveland's lead to 2-1 in the first-round series.

One game after setting a franchise playoff record with a 30-point win in Game 2, the Cavaliers set another team postseason mark by losing by 36. The margin of victory also set a Wizards franchise playoff record.

Washington will also host Game 4 on Sunday, when coach Eddie Jordan's players will have the confidence of knowing they aren't destined to be forever hexed by James and Co. Cleveland had won eight straight playoff games against the Wizards, including a first-round sweep a year ago.

The Wizards took control with a pair of 9-0 runs in the first half in a remarkable turn of events after Cleveland's 116-86 win in Game 2 on Monday. They led 49-33 at halftime, and the Cavaliers never threatened to make a game of it in the second half.

The Wizards tried to force James, who scored 32 and 30 points in Games 1 and 2, to shoot more from outside, and it worked for the most part. Booed heavily every time he touched the ball, the Cavaliers All-Star couldn't get into a flow before the game became a blowout. His first-half numbers: 5-for-11 from the field with only one trip to the free throw line for a total of 11 points.

James finished with 22 points on 10-for-19 shooting from the field and 2-for-4 from the line. He also had seven rebounds, three assists and four turnovers. He laughed when fans started chanting "Overrated!" when he was at the line late in the third quarter and was so distracted that he missed the shot. He tried to make up for it a few seconds later with an emphatic one-handed flying dunk — but the basket only served to cut the lead to 26.

The chant was a reference to Stevenson's claim that James was "overrated" following a Wizards' victory over the Cavaliers last month. James said responding to that remark would be like Jay-Z responding to Soulja Boy — a hip-hop mogul answering a one-hit wonder.

Stevenson had to eat his words after Games 1 and 2, but he had Soulja Boy dancing in the aisle Thursday night while going 5-of-7 on 3-pointers. After making his shots, Stevenson ran down the court waving his hand in front of his nose, the "can't-feel-my-face" gesture that Cleveland's Damon Jones mocked in Game 2.

The Wizards no doubt felt they got the calls that they argued were lacking in games at Cleveland, games that were marred by physical play. James was fouled often by Washington in those games, and Brendan Haywood was ejected in Game 2 for a hard foul while James attempted a layup.

On Thursday night, Haywood and Zydrunas Ilgauskas got mutual technicals for pushing and shoving in the first quarter — the fifth and sixth technicals of the series — but the hostilities didn't escalate. The crowd roared its approval when James was called for a charge for knocking over Butler in the first quarter.

The one major issue for the Wizards is Arenas, who started for the first time since November but injured his surgically repaired knee in the first half. He walked off the court late in the first half with an obvious limp. A bone bruise was diagnosed, and he is listed as day-to-day. He played 10 minutes, scoring two points with three assists.

Several Wizards also sported a new look in front of the home crowd, which was almost universally dressed in white. Butler had his nickname — "Tough Juice" — etched into the back of his hair. Stevenson and Andray Blatche sported mohawks, and Nick Young showed off a modified high-top fade.

Butler, one of several Wizards who struggled in Game 2, went 7-for-14 from the field and had one amazing layup. He spun around Ilgauskas and was going to slam over Joe Smith before double-clutching in mid-air. Butler then pushed the ball toward the basket and got the roll.

Notes:@ Larry Hughes, who used to play for both the Wizards and Cavaliers, was at the game. He appeared to make his allegiance known by wearing white, but he claimed he was neutral. ... The Wizards' previous largest margin of victory in a playoff game came in 1978, when they beat Seattle 117-82 on the way to winning the NBA title. - AP

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After 2-game loss, Rockets rally past Jazz, 94-92
04/25/2008 | 01:51 PM

Email this | Email the Editor | Print | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us SALT LAKE CITY - Tracy McGrady snapped out of his fourth-quarter slump and scored seven of his 27 points in the final period, leading Houston to a 94-92 victory over Utah on Thursday night that gave the Rockets life in a series that could have been headed for a sweep.

Rafer Alston added 20 points and five assists in his first game in nearly two weeks as Houston avoided falling behind 3-0 in the series by beating the team that had the best home record in the NBA during the regular season. Game 4 is Saturday back in Utah, where the Jazz were 37-4 this season.

Carl Landry had 11 rebounds and blocked Deron Williams' shot that could have won it for the Jazz just before the buzzer.

Williams had 28 points and 12 assists.

Carlos Boozer had 15 points and 13 rebounds, and Mehmet Okur scored 12 and pulled down 11 boards for the Jazz, whose poor free throw shooting caught up with them in the fourth quarter when McGrady started scoring.

The Jazz went 20-for-33 from the foul line, getting 11 more chances than Houston (16-for-22)

McGrady, who has never been past the first round of the playoffs, had scored just one point total in the fourth quarter of the first two games, which Utah won in Houston to take a commanding 2-0 lead back home. But on Thursday, he found his touch from both the floor and the foul line to lead the Rockets from a seven-point deficit.

McGrady tied the game at 86 on a foul shot with 3:29 left, then gave the Rockets the lead with two more from the line with 2:50 remaining. He added a 19-foot jumper with 2:16 to go — his first fourth-quarter field goal of the series — then followed with a 20-footer to give the Rockets a 92-86 lead.

As he was shooting, Landry was drawing a foul on Andrei Kirilenko away from the ball. The basket counted and Landry made the free throw to convert the unusual three-point play and give Houston a 93-86 lead.

But the Jazz weren't done.

Kyle Korver hit a 3-pointer, McGrady was called for an offensive foul and Okur hit another 3 to draw the Jazz within 93-92 with 37 seconds left. McGrady missed at the other end and the Jazz had a chance to win, but Landry blocked Williams' shot from the lane and the rebound went to Luis Scola, who was fouled and went 1-for-2 from the line with 0.2 seconds left.

After a timeout, the Jazz threw away the inbounds pass.

Scola had 16 points and 10 rebounds. Shane Battier scored 12 points for the Rockets.

Ronnie Brewer scored 12 and Matt Harpring added 10 points for the Jazz.

Notes:@ Alston returned after missing four games with a strained right hamstring and made his first five shots, including three 3-pointers. ... After opening the game 9-for-29, the Jazz closed the second quarter on a 6-for-9 stretch to tie it at 44. ... Houston held Utah without a field goal for the first 5:07 of the second quarter. ... Thursday was the first time in the series Houston did not trail at halftime. ... The Jazz were 10-for-17 (59 percent) from the foul line in the first half. - AP

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76ers crush Pistons, 95-75, in Game 3 to take 2-1 series lead
04/26/2008 | 12:06 PM

Email this | Email the Editor | Print | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us PHILADELPHIA – Andre Miller scored 21 points and the Philadelphia 76ers dominated the Detroit Pistons 95-75 for a 2-1 lead in the NBA first-round playoffs on Friday.

Samuel Dalembert had 22 points and 16 rebounds, and the Sixers led by as many as 24 points in their first home playoff game since 2005.

Richard Hamilton scored 23 points and Tayshaun Prince had 18 for the Pistons, who led the league with just 11 turnovers per game but committed 23, easily their season high. The 76ers scored 29 points off the turnovers and scored 40 points in the paint.

Philadelphia broke the game open in the third quarter, ending it with a 22-9 run.

Antonio McDyess – who left in the third quarter with a broken nose – Rasheed Wallace and Chauncey Billups combined for 15 points for the Pistons.

Game 4 is on Sunday in Philadelphia.

Mavericks 97, Hornets 87

At Dallas, Dirk Nowitzki had 32 points, 19 rebounds and six assists and Dallas finally made New Orleans look like playoff novices, winning Game 3 to get back into this series.

Chris Paul of the Hornets, the first player ever to have at least 30 points and 10 assists in his first two playoff games, finished with 16 points on 4-of-18 shooting. He still had 10 assists.

David West's late surge with 14 points helped New Orleans cut a 17-point deficit to 90-83 with 2 minutes left.

Jannero Pargo of New Orleans had 30 points, his most this season and most ever in a playoff game.

Jason Terry replaced Jerry Stackhouse in Dallas' starting lineup and responded with 22 points and six assists but his biggest contribution was his defense on Paul.

Game 4 is on Sunday in Dallas, where the Hornets haven't won since January 1998. - AP

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NBA fines 76ers coach Cheeks $25,000 for outburst at officials
04/26/2008 | 12:35 PM

Email this | Email the Editor | Print | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us PHILADELPHIA – Philadelphia 76ers coach Maurice Cheeks was fined $25,000 (€16,000) by the NBA on Friday for his actions after Game 2 of the playoff series against Detroit.

Cheeks was cited for verbal abuse of the officials and for not leaving the court and going directly to the locker room at the end of Philadelphia's 105-88 loss.

"It's just an error in judgment by me," Cheeks said before Game 3. "They have the upper hand. I just need to abide by the rules." - AP

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Parker makes 41 as Spurs beat Suns, 115-99, to take 3-0 lead
04/26/2008 | 02:18 PM

Email this | Email the Editor | Print | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us PHOENIX - The San Antonio-Phoenix series was supposed to be a spectacular first-round matchup of potential NBA champions. Instead, it's become a Spurs smackdown. Tony Parker had a career-high 41 points along with 12 assists and San Antonio routed the Suns 115-99 on Friday night to take a 3-0 series lead.

The defending NBA champion Spurs never trailed in winning their ninth consecutive playoff game and 13th of 14, dating to last season. They can complete the sweep on Sunday in Phoenix. No NBA team has come back from 0-3 to win a series.

It's the first three-game losing streak for the Suns this season.

Phoenix acquired Shaquille O'Neal to better match up with the Spurs, but the Suns are one loss away from being swept in a seven-game series for the first time since the Los Angeles Lakers did it in the 1988-89 Western Conference finals.

Tim Duncan added 23 points and 10 rebounds and Manu Ginobili scored 20 points in the Spurs' fourth consecutive playoff road victory and ninth in their last 11.

But Parker did the most damage, often on a pick-and-roll that has flustered Phoenix all series. With three different defenders trying to stop him, he made 17-of-26 shots.

The Suns cut the lead to 13 points twice in the fourth quarter, the last on Raja Bell's 3-pointer with 7:35 to play, but Parker countered with his first 3 of the game and the Suns were finished.

The packed house in the Suns' first home game of the playoffs booed San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich's "Hack-a-Shaq" tactics in the first half, but they turned on the home team when the Spurs took a 23-point lead on Ginobili's 3-pointer with 5 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter.

Amare Stoudemire had 28 points and 11 rebounds to lead Phoenix, which was last swept in a series when Portland did it in a best-of-five matchup in 1998-99. Leandro Barbosa scored 20 points and O'Neal, who finished 9-for-17 from the free throw line, had 19. Steve Nash had seven points on 3-of-8 shooting with nine assists.

Phoenix took big early leads in the first two games in San Antonio. The Spurs were in control of this one from the start.

San Antonio made 10 of its first 13 shots, including five of six jumpers by Parker. A 17-4 outburst capped by Parker's 22-footer put the Spurs up 27-12.

Popovich went to the "Hack-a-Shaq" ploy, having Jacque Vaughn foul the big guy three straight times late in the first. O'Neal was called for crossing the free throw line on his first two tries, missed his next two, then made one of two.

Kurt Thomas, a surprise starter, converted a three-point play with .3 seconds left in the first quarter to put San Antonio up 33-19.

Barbosa scored 10 quick points as Phoenix cut the lead to 37-31 with 8:05 left in the half, but the Spurs scored the next seven points.

Popovich returned to purposely fouling O'Neal late in the second quarter after Brent Barry's 3-pointer put San Antonio ahead 57-43 with 58 seconds left in the half.

O'Neal made three of four free throws, but Parker's driving layup at the buzzer put the Spurs up 61-47.

Parker scored the first five points of the second half, including a three-point play that made it 66-47. Consecutive outside jumpers by Duncan put the Spurs up 70-50, and the boos began. - AP

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Bobcats fire Sam Vincent as coach after 32-50 season
04/27/2008 | 02:19 AM

Email this | Email the Editor | Print | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Sam Vincent was fired by the Charlotte Bobcats on Saturday after one turmoil-filled season as coach. Part-owner Michael Jordan, who has the final say on all basketball decisions, dismissed Vincent less than a year after he gambled by giving him his first NBA head coaching job.

Struggling to find a consistent rotation and clashing with players, the inexperienced Vincent led the Bobcats to a 32-50 record in a season the fourth-year franchise felt confident would end with its first playoff berth.

"The decision to remove Sam as head coach after just one season was difficult, but it was a decision that had to be made because my first obligation is to do what is in the best interest of our team," Jordan said in a statement.

Attempts to reach Vincent Saturday were unsuccessful. A team spokesman said Vincent planned to wait until Sunday to talk to reporters.

Vincent's ouster means Larry Brown could quickly become a candidate for the job. Brown and Jordan have a history from their ties to North Carolina, and Brown's mother lives in Charlotte.

Brown, who has been out of coaching since he was fired after just one season in New York in 2006, resigned as executive vice president of the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday.

Brown did not immediately return a phone message Saturday. Brown's agent, Joe Glass, refused to discuss the Charlotte job Saturday, but said his client is eager to return to coaching.

"Larry is interested in getting back into coaching in the pros or college," Glass said.

When Bernie Bickerstaff stepped down as coach to take a job in the front office at the end of the 2006-07 season, Jordan said he was looking for a young coach in the mold of Avery Johnson of the Dallas Mavericks.

Vincent, a former first-round pick of the Boston Celtics and Jordan's one-time teammate in Chicago, had worked for one year under Johnson in Dallas, his only NBA coaching experience.

Jordan said he was intrigued by Vincent's international experience. Vincent coached the Nigerian women's national team, and had coaching stints in South Africa, Greece and The Netherlands. Vincent was coaching in the NBA Development League before going to Dallas.

Vincent was given a four-year contract by the Bobcats, but only the first two years were guaranteed.

Vincent entered the job confident, saying on the day he was introduced that he'd be "incredibly discouraged and disappointed" if the Bobcats didn't make the playoffs this season. The Bobcats also significantly increased their payroll by acquiring Jason Richardson in a draft night trade with Golden State and re-signing Gerald Wallace to a big free-agent deal.

But the Bobcats got off to a poor start as Vincent clearly suffered growing pains. He struggled to define roles for players, constantly shuttling Raymond Felton between point guard and shooting guard. Matt Carroll, a 3-point specialist, saw little playing time early in the season. Rookie Jared Dudley also played little.

Vincent constantly switched from small to big lineups and angered players for questioning their effort and commitment in front of reporters. Charlotte was also hampered by the lack of depth in the frontcourt after season-ending knee injuries to Adam Morrison and Sean May.

While majority owner Bob Johnson gave Vincent a vote of confidence late in the season, Jordan was mum on the issue, saying he would decide on Vincent's fate after the season.

Charlotte finished with one fewer win than in 2006-07.

Vincent becomes the second coach to last just one season in Jordan's checkered history as an NBA executive. Leonard Hamilton resigned after going 19-63 with the Washington Wizards in 2000-01.

Jordan was eventually fired by the Wizards. He bought a minority stake in the Bobcats in 2006 and took over the decision-making from Bickerstaff.

But Jordan has failed to produce a playoff team, and now he's looking for a coach for the second straight spring.

The 67-year-old Brown, popular in the area because of his ties to the Tar Heels, could give the struggling franchise a spark. Charlotte ranked 24th out of 30 teams in attendance this season and fans have been slow to warm up to a new team after the Hornets left for New Orleans in 2002.

Brown, inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002, is one of five NBA coaches with at least 1,000 victories and led the Detroit Pistons to the NBA title in 2004. But Brown has had messy divorces from several jobs and has coached eight NBA teams.

He would also likely command a salary much larger than Vincent, who made about $1.5 million this season. Johnson has said he's lost millions on the team since paying $300 million for the expansion franchise. - AP

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Kobe scores 22 as Lakers seize 3-0 series lead over Nuggets
04/27/2008 | 09:48 AM

Email this | Email the Editor | Print | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us DENVER - Once again, the Denver Nuggets couldn't keep their emotions or Kobe Bryant in check. Bryant scored 22 points and the Los Angeles Lakers took a 3-0 lead in their first-round series, routing the flustered Nuggets 102-84 on Saturday.

Game 4 is Monday night, and the Nuggets are going to have to get more out of their All-Star duo of Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson if they hope to take the series back to the Staples Center.

Anthony and Iverson were miserable from the floor, shooting a combined 10-for-38 and finishing with 16 and 15 points, respectively.

Bryant was quiet, too, at least in the first half, when he scored eight points on 3-for-8 shooting.

He scored nine quick points in the third quarter, however, to put the Lakers ahead 64-51 and quiet the Pepsi Center crowd that loves to hate him.

Bryant has always played well in Colorado, where fans have persistently heckled him ever since he was charged with sexual assault at a ski resort in the Rocky Mountains in 2003, even after the criminal case was dismissed and a civil suit settled.

An airball slowed Bryant's surge just when it looked like he was going to repeat his 19-point, 4 1/2-minute surge in Game 2, but the Nuggets trailed 69-51 after Lamar Odom's two free throws.

Anthony drew a technical foul — Denver's seventh in the series — after he was stripped on his way to the basket, leading to a breakaway by Bryant that stretched the Lakers' lead to 78-61 with 2:33 left in the third.

Los Angeles took an 83-64 lead into the fourth quarter and never looked back.

Luke Walton added 15 points off the bench for Los Angeles, and Pau Gasol and Derek Fisher each scored 14.

By the closing minutes, the Lakers' bench was more interested in a fight in the stands that led to some belligerent fans being taken away by police officers. Even Bryant stuck a peek while teammate Jordan Farmar was shooting free throws at the other end of the court.

On his next touch, Bryant hit a 3-pointer from the right elbow for a 100-78 lead, then took a seat and acknowledged with a thumbs-up his very own cheering section that had drowned out the boo birds during the second half and continued the "MVP!" chants that serenaded him back in California.

The Nuggets, who have lost seven straight playoff games, not only wanted to keep their composure coming back to Colorado, but they also figured they could get to the rim and the foul line more than they had in the first two games in Los Angeles.

Nothing doing.

They limped to the locker room trailing 53-46 at halftime with 'Melo and A.I. a combined 5-for-21, pretty much negating the boost they got from forward Linas Kleiza's start.

Kleiza's insertion into the starting lineup in Game 2 in place of guard Anthony Carter was key to the Nuggets keeping up with the taller Lakers — until he hyper-extended his right elbow on a hard foul by Gasol and the Lakers pulled away for another double-digit win.

Despite missing practice Friday, Kleiza scored 15 points, but he got little help.

With Denver missing jumpers, layups, committing three-second violations and not drawing any fouls, the Lakers began pulling away after Anthony's basket with 4:29 left in the second quarter had tied it at 42.

Bryant hit a sweet 6-foot jumper, Gasol sank a free throw and Vladimir Radmanovic swished a 3-pointer, forcing the Nuggets to call timeout.

It didn't help. Gasol sank two more foul shots to make it 51-42 before Iverson hit four free throws in the final minute. Before that, the Nuggets had shot just four free throws all game.

Denver defensive specialist Kenyon Martin was the only one keeping the Nuggets from getting trampled early on. He hit four of his first six shots while his teammates were a combined 1-for-13 from the floor.

In the third quarter, however, Martin was the victim more often than not as Bryant got hot and starting hitting all kinds of shots over and around him. - AP