The AP reports: Kevin Garnett had 15 points and nine rebounds and the Boston Celtics played Miami-style defense to beat the Heat 85-76 in the opener of their playoff series Saturday night. Trailing 44-41 at halftime, the Celtics held the Heat to 32 points in the second half. And with substitute guard Tony Allen shadowing Dwyane Wade, the Heat star scored 26 points after averaging 33.7 in three regular-season games against Boston… With 40 seconds left in the game, a scuffle near the Miami bench resulted in two technical fouls against Garnett, an automatic ejection, and one each to Boston’s Glen Davis and Miami’s Udonis Haslem and Richardson.
Month: April 2010
Game 1: Johnson scores 22, Hawks beat Bucks
The AP reports: Led by Joe Johnson and getting production from all their key players, the Hawks blitzed the Bucks before halftime, survived a lackluster showing over the final two quarters and held off Milwaukee 102-92 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference series… Milwaukee made a game of it led by Brandon Jennings, who scored 34 points in his playoff debut… Joe Johnson scored 22 points, Mike Bibby added 19 and the other Atlanta starters also were in double figures. Crawford put up 17 points in the first postseason appearance of his 10-year career.
Game 1: LeBron, Shaq lead Cavs over Bulls
The AP reports: Completely healthy and well rested, the Cavaliers took their first step toward an NBA title on Saturday as LeBron James scored 24 points and Shaquille O’Neal looked and played 10 years younger in a 96-83 victory over the Chicago Bulls in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference series. O’Neal, playing for the first time since tearing a thumb ligament on Feb. 25, had 12 points, five rebounds, four assists and three blocks in 24 minutes as the top-seeded Cavs won a testy opener between two teams that obviously don’t care for each other… Derrick Rose had 28 points and 10 assists for Chicago, which had the misfortune of being the first team to face the Cavs in these playoffs. .. Mo Williams added 19 points and 10 assists, and Jamison, acquired at the trading deadline from Washington, had 15 points and 10 rebounds. Cleveland blocked 12 shots—10 in the second half.
Game 1: Melo scores 42, Nuggets beat Jazz
The AP reports: It had been a while since Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith found the net like this. Anthony scored a playoff career-high 42 points and Smith’s fourth-quarter flurry of 3-pointers helped the Denver Nuggets beat the injury-riddled Utah Jazz 126-113 on Saturday night in Game 1 of the playoff series. “We need that,” Anthony said after Smith scored 18 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter… Although Boozer (rib) returned to Utah’s lineup and scored 19 points, the Jazz lost center Mehmet Okur, who aggravated his left Achilles’ tendon injury in the first half, leading Boozer to believe he’ll have to move over to center for Game 2 Monday night… Kenyon Martin pulled down 12 rebounds in 34 minutes—the most he’s played since missing 18 games because of a balky left knee during the stretch run when the Nuggets fought through lots of adversity, including George Karl’s two-month absence to fight throat cancer.
Mehmet Okur re-injures Achilles tendon
Tim Buckley of the Deseret News reports:
Jazz starting center Mehmet Okur re-injured his left Achilles’ tendon with just more than eight minutes to go in the second quarter of tonight’s Game 1 in the Utah-Denver first-round NBA playoff series.
Okur will not return for the second half, and according to the team will undergo an MRI exam Sunday.
Thunder recall three from D-League
Oklahoma City Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti announced today that the team has recalled forward Byron Mullens, guard Mustafa Shakur and guard Kyle Weaver from the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA Development League.
Mullens, who was a 2009-10 All NBA D-League Honorable Mention, appeared in four postseason contests (all starts) with the 66ers, averaging 13.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.25 blocks and 26.3 minutes.
Shakur, who was named to the 2009-10 All NBA D-League Second Team, has averaged 16.0 points on 51.0% shooting from the field, 4.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.0 steals, 1.0 block and 32.8 minutes in four postseason contests (all starts).
Weaver, has seen action in four games (all starts) in the playoffs, averaging 24.0 points on 51.7% shooting from the field and 57.1% from three-point range, 6.0 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.50 blocks in 40.5 minutes per game.
The 66ers currently trail the Iowa Energy 0-1 in the best-of-three series in the semifinals of the 2010 D-League Playoffs. The two teams square-off Sunday, April 18 in Iowa at 4:00 PM. Should it be necessary, the teams will play in a deciding game Tuesday, April 20 at 7:00 in Iowa.
Greg Monroe to enter NBA Draft
The AP reports:
Georgetown center Greg Monroe is heading to the NBA, planning to hire an agent and skip his last two seasons of college eligibility.
“It was mentally what I wanted to do,” Monroe said in a statement released by the school Saturday. “I feel like I’m ready to make this step after working with our coaches for two years.”
The 6-foot-11 Monroe was a third-team AP All-American as a sophomore after averaging 16.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.5 blocks this season.
Andrew Bynum returns to practice
ESPN reports:
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Lakers center Andrew Bynum, who missed the final 13 games of the regular season with a strained left Achilles tendon, returned to the floor for a full practice Friday for the first time since suffering the injury on March 19.
Bynum practiced with the team ahead of Sunday’s playoff opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Staples Center (Noon p.m. PT, ABC) and was pleased with the outcome.
“I felt very good,” he said. “Really, no pain. It went good.”
Lakers coach Phil Jackson was encouraged by Bynum’s effort. “We’re very pleased. He’s certainly not in any space where he feels like he’s back, I’m sure, but we’re pleased he was able to run and play and participate.”
Summer of rehab for Andrew Bogut
The Journal Times reports:
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Bucks center Andrew Bogut met with the media after Friday’s practice and discussed his recent season-ending hand and wrist injuries.
Bogut, who suffered extensive damage after crashing to the floor after a dunk attempt in a game against the Phoenix Suns on April 3 at the Bradley Center, won’t be picking up a basketball anytime soon.
“It’s going to be a long summer rehabbing,’’ Bogut said. “It’ll be a three-to-four month rehab.’’
Considering the severity of the injuries — Bogut has large cast on his right arm — Bogut won’t be able to play for Australia in this summer’s FIBA World Championship in Turkey. The 24-team tournament runs from Aug. 28 until Sept. 12.
Bogut wouldn’t comment on his status for the World Games. An official announcement is expected to be made in the next three weeks.
Thunder assign Byron Mullens, Mustafa Shakur to D-League
Oklahoma City Thunder center Byron Mullens and guard Mustafa Shakur have been re-assigned to the Tulsa 66ers, Oklahoma City’s NBA Development League affiliate, it was announced today. The assignments are the 41st and 42nd times this season that NBA players have been assigned to an NBA D-League affiliate.
Mullens, who has appeared in 27 regular season games with the 66ers this season, rejoins the team for his third assignment of the season. During the regular season, Mullens averaged 15.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and 31.5 minutes, scoring in double figures 23 times and recording five double-doubles. He scored a regular-season high 26 points in a 124-113 road loss to the Idaho Stampede on March 19. In three playoff games for the 66ers, Mullens averaged 14.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and 25.7 minutes.
Selected by the Thunder with the 20th overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, Mullens has appeared in 13 games with Oklahoma City this season, scoring 14 points and collecting 10 rebounds in 54 minutes.
Shakur, a standout at Arizona, returns to the 66ers following an assignment on March 31, the day he was called up to the Thunder from the 66ers. In 47 regular season games, all starts, for the 66ers Shakur averaged 19.2 points, 6.9 assists and 4.5 rebounds in 37.8 minutes. During his tenure with the 66ers, Shakur scored in double figures in 44 games, recording a season-high 34 points in a 106-96 home victory over the Dakota Wizards on March 5. He dished out a season-high 14 assists on Jan. 28, in a 107-104 loss to the Iowa Energy in Tulsa. In three playoff games with Tulsa, Shakur averaged 20.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 37.3 minutes.
Currently in his second stint with the Thunder, Shakur was originally called-up by Oklahoma City on March 16, before being released on March 25.