2008 NBA Playoffs

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Pistons down Sixers, move 3-2 ahead in playoff series
04/30/2008 | 10:39 AM
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AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - The Motor City's Big Three outscored Philadelphia's entire team when it mattered. Chauncey Billups scored 21 points, Richard Hamilton had 20 and Rasheed Wallace added 19 to lift the Pistons to a 98-81 victory over the 76ers on Tuesday night and a 3-2 lead in the first-round series.

Detroit leads in the series for the first time after being the first team to win consecutive games.

If the Pistons win Game 6 on Thursday night in Philadelphia or Game 7 at home, they will advance in the playoffs for the seventh year in a row.

The third-seeded Orlando Magic, who eliminated Toronto on Monday night, await the winner in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Andre Iguodala scored a career playoff-high 21 points, finally putting together a night that resembled his play in the regular season, but he didn't have much help.

None of his teammates reached double figures until Andre Miller did in the third quarter, but the point guard missed nine shots in a row in the first half when the game was relatively close.

Billups, Wallace and Hamilton combined for 58 points through three quarters, outscoring the Sixers until Rodney Carney made a 3 to end the quarter, cutting their deficit to 20 points.

Detroit's Tayshaun Prince finished with 17 points, giving the balanced team a fourth option offensively.

Miller finished with 13 points and reserve Louis Williams scored 13.

Billups took control from the start, scoring 14 points and adding five assists as Detroit took a 35-21 lead after the first quarter.

The game was essentially over at that point.

Detroit led 54-42 at halftime and 79-59 after three quarters.

The Pistons seemed serious about preparing for the pivotal game 90 minutes before the game, as Billups and Prince discussed strategy and all eyes were on the big-screen TV in the locker room, showing Game 4. Wallace watched a play in which he had a turnover, throwing a long outlet to Billups, three times trying to figure out if it was a bad pass. - AP

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McGrady scores 29 as Rockets stay alive vs Jazz
04/30/2008 | 12:02 PM
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HOUSTON - Tracy McGrady scored 29 points, Luis Scola added 18 points and 12 rebounds, and the Houston Rockets staved off elimination Tuesday night by routing the Utah Jazz 95-69 in Game 5 of their first-round series.

d**embe Mutombo grabbed 10 rebounds as the Rockets cut their series deficit to 3-2 and forced Game 6 in Utah on Friday night.

Now, the Jazz can end the series at home, where they went 37-4 during the regular season. But it's no guarantee — Houston was the first team to beat Utah in Salt Lake City during the regular season and won Game 3 there last Thursday.

The Rockets did everything they hadn't done for most of the series. They shot well, hit their free throws and got valuable production off the bench.

Houston came into the game with the lowest scoring average of any playoff team (85.5) and was shooting only 39.9 percent from the field and 65.7 percent from the free throw line in the series. In Game 5, the Rockets shot 47 percent (37-of-79), went 15-of-19 from the line and outscored Utah's bench 26-9.

The Jazz, meanwhile, endured their worst offensive performance of the season, setting a season-low point total by eight. They shot 36.5 percent (27-of-74), went 2-for-9 from 3-point range and 13-for-23 from the free throw line. They also committed 18 turnovers and were outrebounded 46-38.

Carlos Boozer led Utah with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Deron Williams had 13 points and six assists. - AP

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Spurs nip Suns to win NBA playoff series, 4-1
04/30/2008 | 01:01 PM
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(Updated 1:20 p.m.) SAN ANTONIO - Tony Parker scored 31 points, Tim Duncan added 29 points and 17 rebounds, and the San Antonio Spurs advanced to the Western Conference semifinals with a 92-87 Game 5 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night.

The third-seeded Spurs will meet the No. 2 seed Hornets in a second-round series that begins Saturday at New Orleans. The Hornets finished off their series with the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday, also in five games.

Boris Diaw, who had a near triple-double in the Suns' rout of the Spurs in Game 4, led the Suns with 22 points.

Four other players scored in the double digits, but the Suns had a number of costly turnovers down the stretch and were sent home yet again by the Spurs, who have eliminated Phoenix in four of their last five playoff appearances.

With the Spurs up 88-87 after battling back and forth with the Suns throughout the fourth quarter, Manu Ginobili, who had been cold all night, hit one of two from the line with 25 seconds on the clock.

Steve Nash turned the ball over on an inbounds pass from Raja Bell, and Phoenix sent Ginobili to the line again with 23 seconds left. Ginobili hit both this time to make it 91-87.

Nash's 3-point attempt missed and Duncan hit another free throw. Diaw's last-second 3 missed, but it wouldn't have made a difference.

The Spurs outscored the Suns 23-15 in the fourth quarter, led by nine points apiece from Duncan and Parker.

The Suns were trying to become the first NBA team to come back from an 0-3 deficit, and they won Game 4 in Phoenix with gusto. They stayed in Game 5 until the end, trying to force a Game 6 back in Phoenix.

It was widely predicted that this might finally be the Suns' year and that the series would go the full seven games.

Instead, the Suns go home, falling short despite the midseason blockbuster trade for Shaquille O'Neal — who was brought in specifically to match up better with teams like San Antonio.

Down three points to start the fourth, the Spurs battled back and Parker's under-the-basket feed to Duncan gave the Spurs a 77-76 lead with 6:43 to play.

Nash's first basket of the quarter, a mid-range jumper, put the Suns back up by one, 82-81, with 3:10 on the clock. After Parker's jumper put the Spurs up 85-82, Nash answered with his first 3 of the night to tie it.

Nash fouled Parker, who hit one of two from the line to give the Spurs a one-point cushion. His free throw was the go-ahead basket for the Spurs.

With just under 40 seconds to play, Diaw threw the ball out of bounds and Parker's jumper fell with 29 on the clock for an 88-85 Spurs lead. Diaw's quick layup brought Phoenix within 88-87.

Amare Stoudemire scored 15 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, Bell added 14 points and O'Neal scored 13.

The Spurs jumped out to as much as an eight-point lead in the first quarter before the Suns evened things in the second.

O'Neal's dunk with 7:08 left put the Suns up 39-36 and Phoenix successfully ran the offense through Diaw, who had a near triple-double in the Suns' Game 4 rout. He put them up 43-40 with 4:31 left in the second quarter and had 12 points at halftime.

But the Spurs closed the half with an 11-2 run led by Parker, who had 20 points in the half, to go up 54-45.

And the Hack-a-Shaq, when Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has his players intentionally foul O'Neal, worked to San Antonio's advantage. O'Neal, a 52 percent career free-throw shooter, made just 5-of-14 from the line.

Still, the Spurs had struggles. Ginobili, San Antonio's leading scorer in the regular season, picked up three fouls in the first half and had just two points at the break.

And while Nash had just two assists and six points after three quarters, his team was picking up the slack.

The Suns went on a 15-2 run, with O'Neal on the bench for

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Hornets humble Dallas to advance in NBA playoffs

Agence France-Presse

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana - Chris Paul scored 24 points and the New Orleans Hornets advanced to the second round of the National Basketball Association playoffs Tuesday with a 99-94 victory over Dallas.

Paul achieved his first career playoff "triple double" by contributing 15 assists and 11 rebounds and the Hornets advanced in the playoffs for the first time since the club moved from Charlotte and to the Western Conference.

"It feels great to know we are out of the first round," Paul said. "We showed a lot of poise at the end. We let them back in the game but we pulled it out. We're always going to fight.

"We stick together as a team. That's what makes this really special."

The second-seeded Hornets captured the best-of-seven Western Conference first-round series four games to one and will have the home-court edge over their second-round opponent, either defending champion San Antonio or Phoenix.

The Spurs will try to eliminate Phoenix in a later game Tuesday while Utah will try to eliminate the Houston Rockets and book a second-round date with the West's top seed, the Los Angeles Lakers, who swept out Denver on Monday.

For the citizens of New Orleans, the success of the Hornets has captivated a city still dealing with rebuilding in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

"Everything we've done this year is all about this city and rebuilding this city," Paul said.

David West scored a game-high 25 points for New Orleans, which also had 10 points and 14 rebounds from Tyson Chandler and 17 points from Jannero Pargo.

German star Dirk Nowitzki led Dallas with 22 points and 13 rebounds.

Paul returned after a rest and ignited a 22-7 Hornets run to end the first half that gave New Orleans a 54-39 lead at half-time, but the Mavericks sliced the deficit to 71-63 after three quarters and 73-66 early in the fourth.

That's when the Hornets erupted for an 11-1 run for an 84-67 edge, but the Mavericks trimmed the deficit to 97-92 with 1:17 to go on a 3-pointer by Devean George, the ninth consecutive shot Dallas made from the floor in a late charge.

Brandon Bass rebounded a Nowitzki 3-point miss and sank two free throws with 33 seconds remaining to pull Dallas within 97-94.

Paul missed a fadeaway from the free throw line but the rebound was tapped back to him and led to Serbian star Peja Stojakovic sinking two free throws with 5.2 seconds remaining to seal the victory for New Orleans.

The Mavericks were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs for the second year in a row, although being ousted this year as a seventh seed was less humbling than last year when they had the NBA's top regular-season record.

Dallas made a late-season trade for guard Jason Kidd but the All-Star addition to the Mavericks backcourt was not enough to provide a playoff spark.

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Spurs book playoff date with Hornets
Agence France-Presse

SAN ANTONIO, Texas - Defending National Basketball Association champion San Antonio ousted Phoenix and New Orleans dumped Dallas Tuesday to book a second-round playoff showdown against each other.

But the Utah Jazz could not join the Spurs and Hornets in advancing as the Houston Rockets kept their title hopes alive with a 95-69 triumph as the focus became clear in the Western Conference playoff chase.

Frenchman Tony Parker scored 31 points and Tim Duncan added 29 points and 17 rebounds to power San Antonio past Phoenix 92-87, giving the Spurs a four to one triumph in their best-of-seven first-round playoff series.

The Spurs scored seven of the last nine points to break a deadlock at 85 and book a date with the Hornets, who used a supreme performance by Chris Paul to defeat Dallas 99-94 to capture that series four to one.

"The whole series I was trying to be aggressive, get to the basket," Parker said. "Now it's New Orleans. They are very good. It's going to be a great challenge for me to play against Chris Paul."

The Hornets and Spurs split four regular-season meetings, but each managed to dominate an opponent that made a major mid-season trade, the Suns landing star center Shaquille O'Neal and the Mavericks obtaining guard Jason Kidd.

"We weren't overconfident but we have a different mentality," Paul said. "We expect to win. We expect a lot from ourselves. We're trying to set a new standard."

The Spurs closed the first half with an 18-6 run for 54-45 half-time lead, but Phoenix closed the third quarter on a 20-9 run to seize a 72-69 lead.

The Suns fell apart when it mattered most, however, hitting only 5-of-15 shots in the final period while making seven of their 14 turnovers in the last quarter. Phoenix missed 17 free throws, 13 of them in the first half.

"We were struggling. We had a bad third quarter," Parker said. "In the fourth quarter, we played like it was a game seven."

France's Boris Diaw led Phoenix with 22 points while Amare Stoudemire added 15 points and 11 rebounds.

Canadian Steve Nash hit a 3-pointer to equalize at 85, but Nash made three key late turnovers and Diaw gave away another. Parker took advantage for a key jumper for an 88-85 Spurs lead and the others set up three Ginobili free throws and two more by Duncan that sealed the triumph.

"We didn't play too well," Nash said. "We should have slowed it down. I take responsibility for that. I made a couple key turnovers that cost us.

"On paper we have more talent than they do but their commitment and understanding of what they do is what made them better. They make the little plays that make them better. That's why they are the champions."

At New Orleans, Paul scored 24 points, passed out 15 assists and grabbed 11 rebounds for his first career playoff "Triple Double" to spark the Hornets to their first playoff series victory since moving from Charlotte.

"It feels great to know we are out of the first round," Paul said. "We showed a lot of poise at the end. We let them back in the game but we pulled it out. We're always going to fight.

"We stick together as a team. That's what makes this really special."

Tracy McGrady scored 29 points to lead Houston past Utah, trimming the Jazz lead to 3-2 in that series with game six Friday at Salt Lake City. The series winner will face the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round.

"It feels good. Our backs were against the wall. If we lose our season is over," McGrady said. "This was like a game seven."

Luis Scola added 18 points and 12 rebounds for Houston, which also got 14 points from Rafer Alston. Carlos Boozer led Utah with 19 points.

At New Orleans, David West scored a game-high 25 points for the Hornets, who also had 10 points and 14 rebounds from Tyson Chandler and 17 points from Jannero Pargo.

Paul ignited a 22-7 Hornets run to end the first half that gave New Orleans a 54-39 lead at half-time, but the Mavericks sliced the deficit to 71-63 after three quarters and 73-66 early in the fourth.

That's when the Hornets erupted for an 11-1 run for an 84-67 edge, but the Mavericks rallied, Brandon Bass hitting two free throws with 33 seconds remaining to pull Dallas within 97-94 before Peja Stojakovic hit two free throws with 5.2 seconds remaining to seal the victory.

The Mavericks were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs for the second year in a row, although being ousted this year as a seventh seed was less humbling than last year when they had the NBA's top regular-season record.

German star Dirk Nowitzki led Dallas with 22 points and 13 rebounds and defended the decision to obtain Kidd from New Jersey.

"It would have been a struggle to get into the playoffs either way. We went for it," Nowitzki said. "Sometimes you have to take risks."

Kidd looked forward to next year and a chance to have more time to blend with his Phoenix teammates.

"To have a full season would definitely help but we felt we were good enough to compete with the best," Kidd said. "We look at this series and we made a lot of mistakes defensively. With a little more time, we could be a lot better."

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Wizards shock Cavs, Celtics down Hawks

Agence France Presse

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Caron Butler scored the game-winner with 3.2 seconds to play on Wednesday as the Washington Wizards beat Cleveland 88-87 to stay alive in the National Basketball Association playoffs.

With the nail-biting victory, the Wizards fended off elimination, narrowing the gap in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference first-round series to 3-2.

Game six will be in Washington on Friday.

The top-seeded Celtics earned a key 110-85 victory over the upstart Atlanta Hawks to take a 3-2 lead in a series that moves back to Atlanta on Friday.

Paul Pierce scored 22 points with seven rebounds and six assists to lead Boston.

In Cleveland, Cavaliers star LeBron James had a chance to respond to Butler's driving layup and seal the series, but his own drive into a crowded lane ended with his shot rolling off the rim as time expired.

"I was able to get to the rim, but I just missed the layup," he said.

Asked if he thought he was fouled, however, James said "Yes."

No foul was called, but Butler put his own celebration on hold to be sure.

"When I saw the ball that (James) shot rolling on the rim, I thought, 'This is our season right here,'" Butler said. "Then everyone started jumping around and celebrating, but I didn't celebrate yet ... I thought they might have blown a whistle and wanted to review it, but once I saw everyone going to the locker room, I started celebrating."

Butler scored 28 points for the Wizards, who claimed their first victory in Cleveland since 2006.

"Caron is strong enough and skilled enough to beat good defense and he's smart enough and veteran enough to know when to make a play," Washington coach Eddie Jordan said.

Said James: "He made a tough shot. He played a phenomenal game tonight. He put them on his back."

The Wizards won despite the absence of Gilbert Arenas, who will miss the rest of the playoffs resting his surgically repaired left knee. He had missed 69 games during the regular season.

"Gilbert's a great player, he's our closer, he's a franchise guy," Butler said. "But during the course of the season, we learned to play without him."

The Cavaliers, who led by five points with less than two minutes to play, couldn't close out the game to clinch the series.

James finished with 34 points - 13 of them in the fourth period - 10 rebounds and seven assists, but the team shot just 36 percent from the field.

"We put the ball in our best player's hands and we told him to go make a play, like he has for us many times before," Cleveland coach Mike Brown said of his team's final possession.

Celtics win

In Boston, Pierce shrugged off controversy to lead the Celtics, who also had 20 points from Kevin Garnett and 19 from Ray Allen.

Pierce had struggled in consecutive defeats in Atlanta, where the Celtics gave up a combined 199 points in two games.

In addition to making just three of 14 shots from inside 3-point range, Pierce provoked Hawks fans with a gesture considered by some to be a street gang symbol during game three.

Pierce was fined 25,000 dollars and released a pregame statement Wednesday after a Boston clergyman called him out in a newspaper article for promoting gang life.

Pierce then scored 10 points with four rebounds and three assists in the first quarter alone.

Boston took a 58-43 lead into the second half, but a cold-shooting spell awa the Hawks close to 60-54.

The Celtics responded with a 21-10 run and led 81-64 heading into the fourth period.

Joe Johnson scored 21 points and Josh Smith added 18 for the Hawks, who head home for game six on Friday well aware that the first five games of the series have been won by the home team.

If necessary, game seven would be held in Boston on Sunday, thanks to Boston's league-leading 66-16 regular-season record.

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Mavs fire Avery Johnson after another playoff flop
05/01/2008 | 08:36 AM
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DALLAS - From the start, Avery Johnson was a perfect fit as coach of the Dallas Mavericks. At the end, it was pretty obvious he wasn't. Johnson lost his job Wednesday, a move the team referred to as "relieving him of his duties."

The softer tone made sense considering that in three-plus seasons Johnson guided the Mavericks to the finals for the first time and to a club-record 67 wins the following season.

Yet for all the high points, there were some serious lows — blowing a 2-0 lead in those finals, getting dumped in the first round of the playoffs after that 67-win season and then, the final straw, getting knocked out in the first round again this season after Dallas shook up its roster and mortgaged some of its future to acquire Jason Kidd.

Over those three straight postseason wipeouts, the Mavericks lost 12 of 15 games, including all nine on the road.

"Was it time for a change? I guess," said Dirk Nowitzki, who became the league MVP under Johnson's watch. "I think this franchise, we owe him a lot. Unfortunately it's just one of those situations where everybody's got to move on."

The final mark during Johnson's tenure: 194-70 in the regular season, 23-24 in the playoffs.

Johnson got the news during a meeting at his condominium Wednesday morning. Donnie Nelson, the team's president of basketball operations, was there, while team owner Mark Cuban joined via cell phone from Chicago.

Johnson flew to Houston soon after because his son had an accident at school. He will meet with reporters Thursday, but called in to the local ESPN affiliate, KESN, to talk about his dismissal.

"This is something that needed to happen," Johnson said. "There's no animosity or bitterness. We all still really care about each other, but it was time to go in a different direction. ... We didn't win the championship, but if you look at the whole body of work that we put together over the last 3 1/2 years ... we'll put it up against anybody."

Johnson might not be unemployed very long. The New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls are among the teams needing coaches, and both might want a young, proven coach who preaches defense and discipline.

What will Cuban do?

It's hard to guess because he's never really hired anyone, inheriting Don Nelson when he bought the team and then agreeing with Nelson to groom Johnson.

Paul Westphal was on Johnson's staff and Del Harris remains on the payroll as a consultant. Jeff Van Gundy and Rick Carlisle are other experienced coaches who could be interested, if Cuban is. Phoenix's Mike D'Antoni also would be an intriguing option if he loses his job.

Whoever takes over will get a roster of expensive, aging players. The Mavs need to get younger and more athletic, but don't have a first-round pick or much room under the salary cap.

But Dallas does have two commodities that any coach would love to have: Nowitzki and Kidd.

While Nowitzki turns 30 this summer and Kidd just turned 35, both are coming off All-Star seasons. Kidd has a player option for next season, but it's for $21 million, more than he'd get on the open market.

"It's not at the point of pulling the plug on this," Kidd said. "I think we have a chance to be very successful, so I look forward to the challenge next year."

Cuban certainly will ask all candidates how they will get the most out of Kidd, something Johnson struggled to do.

The Mavs were 35-18 before giving up young point guard Devin Harris and a package of players and picks for Kidd. They went 16-13 after he arrived — 17-17 counting the playoffs.

"We probably could have opened it up a little more, have a little more free flow, let Jason create and not just make him a weakside spot-up shooter," Nowitzki said. "But, you know, Avery had us believing in the system, and that's the way he thought we could be the most efficient."

Nowitzki hopes the next coach retains at least some of Johnson's emphasis on defense.

"You don't basically want to go back to the Nellie days where we just run and gun and have fun, and you get scored on every time down," Nowitzki said.

Nelson turned the Mavericks from lottery regulars to playoff regulars, then to title contenders. He just couldn't get them to the finals.

Johnson did.

A championship-winning point guard for San Antonio during his long career, Johnson became Dallas' coach-in-waiting in 2004-05. His wait ended just a few months later. He finished that regular season 16-2, then won his first playoff series. Then, in his first full season in charge, the Mavericks reached the NBA finals and Johnson was named coach of the year.

When the Heat won four straight after losing the first two, there was talk of Pat Riley outcoaching Johnson and of Johnson panicking during the series by switching hotels in Miami. More talk of getting outcoached came up after the 67-win season went down in flames to, of all people, Nelson.

The knock this time was mostly over his use of Kidd. He and Cuban even had a shouting match in the coach's office following a home loss to the Lakers.

Johnson's rift with his club was apparent during the five-game series against the New Orleans Hornets.

Down 2-0, he said to blame him, but it came off as sarcastic because he added it was his fault the players were missing layups, free throws and defensive assignments. Then, after losing Game 4, Johnson canceled an off-day practice, but the players went through a workout anyway — without the coaches.

Now, those players will be answering to a new coach.

"We're just at a stumbling block, at a standstill," Jason Terry said. "I guess management's going to take a look at us and see what pieces we need and see where we go from here. ... You know they're going to make some moves, there's no doubt. But the backcourt looks solid and you've got the big German. That's not a bad place to start." - AP

[AUSTIN316]

Gilbert Arenas out for rest of playoffs
05/01/2008 | 09:40 AM
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CLEVELAND - Gilbert Arenas' lost season is over. Arenas, who missed most of the regular season following knee surgery, decided to end his season moments before the Wizards faced an elimination game in their first-round playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavaliers lead 3-1.

"Instead of me blocking the team from success, we just decided just go ahead and shut it down," Arenas said an hour before tipoff.

Hobbled by a bone bruise, the three-time All-Star played in the first four games of the series but was not the sharpshooting Agent Zero who has led the Wizards in the past.

He missed the past two days of practice to rest the knee, but then decided along with the team trainer that he would not play again this season regardless of whether the Wizards advance.

Arenas missed 66 games during the regular season and an MRI taken before Game 3 revealed that his surgically repaired left knee has a bone bruise and a pinched nerve.

"This nerve pinch, it just came out of the blue," Arenas said. "The swelling and the achiness — I can play through that — but the nerve pain where each step feels like you're hitting my funny bone, eventually, that was wearing and tearing. It's not going anywhere."

He averaged 10.8 points and shot 39 percent in the series, averaging just 23 minutes. His final shot of the was a potential tying 3-pointer at the end of Game 4 against Cleveland.

"It's frustrating because I was willing to do anything. I ended up taking the shot," said Arenas, referring to his hesitancy to numb the knee because he was "scared" of the needle.

"I'm taking four different kinds of pain pills ... just to play in a game, and it still doesn't work."

In true Agent Zero fashion, Arenas surprised even his coach with the news.

Wizards coach Eddie Jordan knew it was a possibility Arenas wouldn't play, but he found out the guard couldn't go at about the same time reporters did.

"We've performed very well without Gil. Look, we are a different team with Gilbert, very explosive. But we're ready to go without him," Jordan said.

The typically chatty Arenas didn't talk to the media for months while he was out, then ripped the Cavs in a blog entry before the series.

"I think everybody wants Cleveland in that first round," Arenas wrote. "We want Cleveland for our own reasons; we don't think they can beat us in the playoffs three years straight."

The comment was the first volley in a series that's been known more for the Wizards verbal jabs at LeBron James, than anybody's play on the court.

"I know he wants to play so bad," said Cavs forward and Arenas' friend LeBron James. "But the knee hasn't responded the best way. It's not good for him, but maybe it's the best thing for him so he's ready for the '09 season. He's a very good player and I know it's going to be tough for him not to be out there."

Arenas thanked his teammates for giving him the chance to play in the postseason. He said they understood his decision.

"I did everything I can. I went out there wounded and all just to play in the playoffs," he said. "It's my duty to let these guys go out there and just fight it — put out some healthy bodies and beat this team. I can't go out there hobbling trying to help this team win because at the end of the day it's hurting us." - AP

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Wizards stay alive vs Cavs as LeBron misses layup
05/01/2008 | 09:43 AM
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CLEVELAND - Caron Butler saved Washington's season.

Butler made a layup with 3.9 seconds left and the Wizards held their breath as LeBron James missed a potential series-ending layup at the horn, giving Washington an 88-87 victory Wednesday night and adding at least one more game to this overheated NBA playoff series.

After Butler scored on a drive past James, the Cavs had one more chance but their superstar couldn't get a banked runner to drop and the Wizards headed home for Game 6 on Friday night down 3-2 in the best-of-seven series.

Butler scored 32 points and DeShawn Stevenson had 17 for the Wizards, who played without guard Gilbert Arenas. Agent Zero announced before the game that his season was over because of a bothersome knee. Arenas' absence figured to be the decisive blow for the Wizards, but they fought to the finish and, at least for now, prevented the Cavs from ending their season for the third straight year.

James scored 34 points — 24 in the second half — but was unable to make a final shot in traffic that would have sent the Wizards, who began talking trash weeks ago and haven't stopped, quietly into the summer. The Cavaliers led by five with 1:47 left, but Washington scored the final six points to end a five-game playoff losing streak in Cleveland.

The Cavaliers were keen on closing out the Wizards. Last year in the playoffs, Cleveland led New Jersey 3-1 and failed to put away the Nets before finally doing it on the road. The Cavs seemed to have learned their lesson and took an 87-82 lead on Delonte West's three-point play with 1:47 to go.

Butler scored on a layup sandwiched between two missed 3-pointers by Cleveland, and Antonio Daniels hit two free throws to pull the Wizards within 87-86 with 43 seconds left. Joe Smith then missed a short inside shot and Zydrunas Ilgauskas couldn't steer in a tip.

Following a timeout, the Wizards cleared the floor for Butler, who burst past James and got an arching layup that danced briefly on the rim to fall.

Washington has been beaten by so many last-second shots from Cleveland in the playoffs, and as James drove by Stevenson to the basket on the Cavs' last possession, it looked as if the Wizards were going to go down in heartbreaking fashion again.

But James, who was bumped by Darius Songaila, didn't come through and Stevenson, whose running feud has been one of the subplots in a series as juicy as a day-time TV soap, ran to midcourt and celebrated the Wizards' good luck.

This series has had it all: trash talk, villains, heroes, rap stars and, of course, the Stevenson vs. James feud that seems personal and professional. And now, it will continue.

Arenas was casually sitting in a chair in Washington's locker room discussing a recent movie he had seen, when he stunningly announced his lost season was over. The three-time All-Star, who missed 66 regular-season games following knee surgery, played in the first four games in the series despite a painful deep bone bruise.

But he wasn't himself, and Arenas decided to start getting ready for next season a little early.

His teammates had other plans.

On Tuesday, the Wizards were visited by Abe Pollin, their 84-year-old owner who talked to them about past playoff successes and failures. Pollin spoke of times when Washington has overcome 3-1 deficits, and the Wizards have a chance to do it again.

The Cavaliers reeled off 11 straight points in the third quarter to open a 59-53 lead, but the Wizards regrouped as Butler and Antawn Jamison made 3-pointers in a 16-6 run that put Washington ahead 69-65 entering possibly its final 12 minutes of the season.

As if on cue, the Wizards and Cavaliers were at each other's throats early.

With 3:20 left in the first quarter, James was fouled on a baseline drive by Songaila, whose left forearm caught James on the chin. James threw his head back and Songaila was assessed a technical foul for the latest rough foul of the series.

Both teams barked at each other and Stevenson and Anderson Varejao drew "Ts" for too much banter.

Butler scored 14 points in the first quarter on 5-of-6 shooting, forcing the Cavaliers to make a defensive switch and put James on the forward. - AP

[AUSTIN316]

Celtics a game away from entering 2nd round playoffs
05/01/2008 | 11:37 AM
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BOSTON - Takedowns and menacing gestures. Double technicals and flagrant fouls. And the Boston Celtics are heading to Atlanta to try to deliver the knockout punch.

Paul Pierce scored a playoff-high 22 points and Ray Allen hit three 3-pointers in the middle of the third quarter Wednesday night to turn back the Hawks' last charge, leading Boston to a hard-fought 110-85 victory over Atlanta and giving the Celtics a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Kevin Garnett scored 20 and Allen had 19 to put the Celtics one game away from advancing to the second round. Boston got a huge lift from its bench in the second quarter, when Sam Cassell scored nine points and Leon Powe had seven with five rebounds while holding Al Horford to a pair of baskets.

Joe Johnson, who erupted for 35 points in Game 4 — 20 of them in the fourth quarter — scored 21, and Horford had 14 points and 10 rebounds for Atlanta. Mike Bibby continued to struggle in Boston, scoring six while recording one assist for the third straight road game.

The first five games have all gone to the home team, with Game 6 in Atlanta on Friday night. A seventh game, if necessary, would be played in Boston on Sunday, an advantage the Celtics earned with their NBA-best 66-16 record in the regular season.

Boston would like to end it in six and get a break from a physical series that saw another double-technical — when Garnett and Johnson were jawing in the third — and another flagrant foul, when Horford took down Garnett late in the first half.

The top overall seed wasn't expected to have this much trouble in the first round with an Atlanta team that went 37-45 to grab the final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference. But the Hawks answered two losses in Boston with a pair of victories at home, tying the series 2-2 on Monday night.

Pierce scored 18 in that one, on 5-of-14 shooting, finding out just hours before game time that he had been fined $25,000 by the NBA for a "menacing gesture" — allegedly gang-related — during Game 3. Before Wednesday's game, he issued a statement denying it was a gang sign.

Then he went out and put his hands to a more useful purpose.

After picking up his fourth foul early in the fourth quarter, Pierce held out a dismissive arm toward coach Doc Rivers as if to say: "Relax."

"I won't foul out," he mouthed.

But Rivers took him out, anyway.

And the Celtics didn't need him.

The Celtics took a 58-43 halftime lead, holding Atlanta without a field goal for half of the second quarter before Horford's putback dunk with 1:05 left. Pierce drove for a layup to start the second half, then Atlanta scored the next 11 points to pull within 60-54.

But Garnett made a turnaround hook shot, then he passed off to Allen to set up a 3-pointer. Pierce drove for another basket and, after Horford's dunk slowed things down temporarily, Kendrick Perkins answered with a follow dunk that made it 69-56.

After a timeout, Garnett blocked Josh Childress and then Allen hit a 3. Allen threw the ball away and helped the Hawks cut the deficit to 12 points, but then he hit another 3-pointer to give Boston a 75-60 lead. - AP

[AUSTIN316]

Phoenix Suns playoff history
04/30/2008 | 07:05 PM
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The Phoenix Suns were trying to become the first NBA team to come back from an 0-3 deficit, and they won Game 4 in Phoenix, against the San Antonio Spurs, with gusto.

It was widely predicted that this might finally be the Suns' year and that the series would go the full seven games.

But they lost Game 5.

Here'a a look back at the Suns' playoff history:

2008 — Lost to San Antonio 4-1.

2007 — Beat LA Lakers 4-1; Lost to San Antonio 4-2.

2006 — Beat LA Lakers 4-3; Beat LA Clippers 4-3; Lost to Dallas 4-2.

2005 — Beat Memphis 4-0; Beat Dallas 4-2; Lost to San Antonio 4-1.

2004 — Didn't make playoffs.

2003 — Lost to San Antonio 4-2.

2002 — Didn't make playoffs.

2001 — Lost to Sacramento 3-1.

2000 — Beat San Antonio 3-1; Lost to LA Lakers 4-1.

1999 — Lost to Portland 3-0.

1998 — Lost to San Antonio 3-1.

1997 — Lost to Seattle 3-2.

1996 — Lost to San Antonio 3-1.

1995 — Beat Portland 3-0; Lost to Houston 4-3.

1994 — Beat Golden State 3-0; Lost to Houston 4-3.

1993 — Beat LA Lakers 3-2; Beat San Antonio 4-2; Beat Seattle 4-3; Lost to Chicago 4-2.

1992 — Beat San Antonio 3-0; Lost to Portland 4-1.

1991 — Lost to Utah 3-1.

1990 — Beat Utah 3-2; Beat LA Lakers 4-1; Lost to Portland 4-2.

1989 — Beat Denver 3-0; Beat Golden State 4-1; Lost to LA Lakers 4-0.

1986-88 — Didn't make playoffs.

1985 — Lost to LA Lakers 3-0.

1984 — Beat Portland 3-2; Beat Utah 4-2; Lost to LA Lakers 4-2.

1983 — Lost to Denver 2-1.

1982 — Beat Denver 2-1; Lost to LA Lakers 4-0.

1981 — Lost to Kansas City 4-3.

1980 — Beat Kansas City 2-1; Lost to LA Lakers 4-1.

1979 — Beat Portland 2-1; Beat Kansas City 4-1; Lost to Seattle 4-3.

1978 — Lost to Milwaukee 2-0.

1977 — Didn't make playoffs.

1976 — Beat Seattle 4-2; Beat Golden State 4-3; Lost to Boston 4-2.

1971-75 — Didn't make playoffs.

1970 — Lost to LA Lakers 4-3.

1969 — Didn't make playoffs.

[AUSTIN316]

eltics' Paul Pierce denies gesture was gang symbol
05/01/2008 | 04:34 PM
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BOSTON – Celtics forward Paul Pierce, fined $25,000 for what the NBA called a "menacing gesture" during Game 3 of Boston's playoff series against Atlanta, denied that the sign was gang-related.

"I 100 percent do not in any way promote gang violence or anything close to it," Pierce said in a statement issued Wednesday before Game 5 of the series. "I am sorry if it was misinterpreted that way at Saturday's game."

The league fined Pierce for flashing a hand gesture toward Atlanta's Al Horford, holding up his right hand, forming an "O'' with his thumb and index finger and extending the other three fingers. Although the gesture has been interpreted as a gang sign, Celtics basketball boss Danny Ainge said the three fingers represented "blood, sweat and tears."

Pierce does it before every game, Ainge said, adding that the fine would be appealed after the season.

Pierce said he didn't want to take any focus away from the playoffs, and added that his foundation is committed to helping urban youth stay away from gangs.

"I am extremely proud of the work I have done through the foundation to provide positive influences and safe havens for inner city kids," he said. - AP

[AUSTIN316]

Sonics' Durant honored as NBA rookie of the year
05/02/2008 | 07:47 AM
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BELLEVUE, Wash. - Kevin Durant became the first Seattle player to win the NBA Rookie of the Year award — and perhaps the last. Durant, the national college player of the year at Texas and the No. 2 pick last year, averaged 20.3 points for the SuperSonics.

The youngest player in the league at 19 was a bright spot during a dismal basketball season in Seattle. The Sonics won 20 games, and team owner Clay Bennett recently got league approval to move the team to Oklahoma City.

Seattle has a trial date next month, its effort to make the Sonics play inside KeyArena for the final two seasons of their lease.

"It's good to shine some light on our team. You know, a lot of people aren't real fond of our team right now," Durant said Thursday.

Durant recently purchased a home in suburban Seattle. His mother, Wanda Pratt, lives with him. She and Durant's father, Wayne Pratt, joined four other family members at Thursday's announcement.

"I love Seattle. My home's here. My mother's here," Durant said, acknowledging where he plays next season is far out of his control.

Durant received 90 first-place votes (545 points) from a panel of 125 writers and broadcasters. Atlanta's Al Horford finished second with 390 points, and Houston's Luis Scola was third with 146 points.

"I didn't think I would get it," Durant said, "because those other rookies helped their teams get into the playoffs."

One of the first text messages of congratulations Durant received was from Cleveland superstar LeBron James, whom Durant calls a mentor and good friend. Durant attended James' playoff games with the Cavaliers and the Wizards in Durant's hometown of Washington last weekend.

James was the Rookie of the Year in 2004.

"He told me congratulations," Durant said. "That's when I was thinking like, man, I'm in the same company as LeBron, when he was a rookie. I just smiled inside.

"He's like a big brother to me." - AP

[AUSTIN316]

Pistons crush 76ers, get to 2nd playoffs round
05/02/2008 | 10:39 AM
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(Updated) PHILADELPHIA - Close for four games, no contest the last two. Richard Hamilton hit his first five shots during Detroit's overpowering start, and the Pistons rolled into the second round of the playoffs by crushing the Philadelphia 76ers 100-77 on Thursday night to win the series 4-2.

The Pistons convincingly won the last two games of a series that wasn't expected to last this long and will host the Orlando Magic, who eliminated Toronto in five games, on Saturday in the opener of the Eastern Conference semifinals. Detroit split four meetings with the Southeast Division champions this season.

Hamilton finished with 24 points, 13 in the decisive first quarter when he outscored the 76ers by himself. Chauncey Billups added 20 and Tayshaun Prince had 12 for the Pistons, who reached the second round for the seventh straight season.

They were all on the bench for nearly the entire fourth quarter, when the lead ballooned over 30 points. Detroit held Philadelphia without a field goal for nearly the first 6 minutes of the game, ending any real hopes the Sixers' had of forcing a Game 7 back in Michigan.

Andre Iguodala scored 16 points and Andre Miller had another quiet game with 11 for the Sixers, who outplayed the heavily favored Pistons for the first 3 1/2 games of the series but never really had a chance after that.

The second-seeded Pistons won 59 games during the regular season, second-best in the NBA behind Boston. But they quickly found themselves trailing the upstart 76ers, who were just 40-42, 2-1 then fell behind by 10 points at halftime of Game 4.

Detroit rallied to win that game, then trailed for only 23 seconds over the final two mismatches. As easy as the Pistons' 98-81 victory in Game 5 was, they had even less trouble in this one, racing to a 10-0 lead and never giving the disappointing crowd of 14,130 a chance to get into the game.

Players took the court to music and a clip from "Rocky III" in which Apollo Creed tells Philadelphia's favorite movie hero that, "There is no tomorrow!"

It took just minutes to realize that for the Sixers, there wouldn't be.

The score was quickly Hamilton 7, Philadelphia 0, with the Sixers' sloppy start including an errant pass from Iguodala that struck Samuel Dalembert right upside his recently mohawked head for a turnover, followed a minute later by Thaddeus Young throwing up a 25-footer from 23 feet.

By the time Miller made Philadelphia's first field goal with 6:13 left in the period, that only cut Detroit's lead to 16-5. The Pistons shot 69 percent in the quarter, opening a 30-12 lead.

A Philadelphia flurry early in the second cut it to 12, but the Pistons regained control when their starters returned and were ahead 51-33 when Billups hit a jumper at the halftime buzzer.

Fans booed as the Sixers walked off the court trailing 79-51 after three, but this should go down as a good season for a team that was widely expected to finish at the bottom of the Atlantic Division. Philadelphia was 18-30 in early February but closed with 22 wins in its last 34 games, then rallied from 15 points down in Game 1 to stun the Pistons at Detroit.

The few fans that were left gave the Sixers a standing ovation in the final minute and again after the game.

Notes:@ The 76ers fell to 10-1 in first-round series since 1975 when winning Game 1. ... The Pistons have ended the Sixers' last three trips to the postseason. Detroit eliminated them in both 2003 and '05. ... Even the Sixers' public address announcer had a rough night. When Jason Smith checked in late in the third quarter, he was announced as Jason Williams. - AP

[RedHunks½]

Hawks Beat Celtics and Force Game 7

There will be a Game 7 in the first round of the NBA playoffs. And it will decide a series many thought would have been over already.

With their third home win of the series, the eighth-seeded Atlanta Hawks have pushed the top-seeded Boston Celtics to the limit as they again rallied in the fourth quarter for a 103-100 victory.

Before a raucous crowd of 20,425 - the biggest in Philips Arena history - the Hawks erased an early 12-point deficit and survived a late injury to Marvin Williams to move within one win of one of the greatest upsets in NBA postseason annals. Joe Johnson made a clutch 3-pointer and two free throws in the final 70 seconds to keep Boston at bay.

Williams scored 18 points, Mike Bibby added 17 and seven assists, Al Horford contributed 16 points and Johnson and Josh Childress 15 apiece for the Hawks, who made 36-of-47 free throws as they played with aggressive desperation.

Kevin Garnett scored 22 points, Ray Allen added 20 and Paul Pierce 17 before fouling out for the Celtics, who have won all three of their home games by an average of 22.3 points.

Game 7 is Sunday at 1 p.m. ET on ABC. Atlanta's last Game 7 was at Boston 20 years ago, a game marked by a memorable fourth-quarter duel between Dominique Wilkins and Larry Bird won by the Celtics. Boston lost its last Game 7 at home to Indiana in 2005.