Inside Hoops – Page 2082 – NBA Blog

Game 5: Celtics shock Cavs with 32-point win

The AP reports:

Ray Allen scored 25 points, Rajon Rondo scored all of his 16 in the second half and the Celtics, once thought too old to challenge for another title, beat James and the Cavs 120-88 in Game 5 on Tuesday night to move within one win of knocking the league’s top team from the playoffs.

Paul Pierce added 21 and Kevin Garnett 18 for the Celtics, who handed the Cavs their worst home playoff loss in history and can end Cleveland’s season with a win in Game 6 on Thursday night…

LeBron James, on the verge of an expected trip into free agency on July 1, had an atrocious game. He scored 15 points on 3-of-14 shooting, a startling outing for the 25-year-old who has been playing with a sprained elbow. He refused to use his injury as an excuse…

Rondo, coming off a 29-point, 18-rebound, 13-assist performance in Game 4, was held without a point in the first half as the Cavs concentrated their defense on stopping the point guard from penetrating into the paint. He finally got loose in the third, scoring 12 as the Celtics opened a 21-point lead…

James missed his first seven shots before he got loose on a leak-out dunk with 6:15 left in the third.

The Cavs led 29-21 when, with Rondo on the bench, Boston’s Big Three of Allen, Garnett and Pierce did all the scoring in a 16-0 run that put the Celtics ahead by eight.

George M. Thomas of the Akron Beacon Journal reports:

The Cavs trailed just 50-44 at halftime, but that changed at the onset of the third quarter. Allen came out and made two consecutive 3-point shots to quickly double the lead to 12 points.

With Allen heating up, Brown sent guard Anthony Parker out on him and put Mo Williams back on Rondo. Rondo went directly at Williams to the tune of eight quick points before Brown called a timeout. After the timeout, Williams disappeared for the remainder of the third quarter, along with the Cavs’ hopes for winning the game.

”We have to do a better job with our team defense,” Brown said. ”Mo had gotten beaten a couple times, but there were a couple of times when we didn’t play the right defense behind him.”

The blame is not solely on Williams; there’s plenty to go around. After Tuesday’s game, there has to be a question about James’ health. After enduring a miserable Game 4, if he were true to form, he would return to inflict damage on the Celtics in Game 5. That wasn’t the case.

Hornets interview Lawrence Frank, Monty Williams

The AP reports:

The New Orleans Hornets continue to interview candidates for their vacant coaching job; former NBA head coach Lawrence Frank and current Portland assistant Monty Williams are the latest.

Team spokesman Harold Kaufman confirms that Frank and Williams met with team officials on Tuesday in New Orleans, bringing the number of candidates interviewed by the Hornets up to seven.

London may host regular season NBA game

When it comes to promoting itself, the NBA is all about global expansion. (And those constant “NBA Cares” ads.) And the next logical step is to have a few regular season games take place overseas.

I would assume that the team(s) losing home games would have to be compensated for their lost income. But other than that, it seems pretty easy to work out.

Reuters reports:

The NBA is actively considering staging a regular-season game in London next season, Commissioner David Stern said.

Stern, speaking to reporters before Monday’s playoff game in Salt Lake City between the Jazz and the visiting Lakers, reaffirmed a previous commitment to bring the NBA to London before the city hosts the 2012 Olympics.

I do not believe that hosting preseason games overseas helps promote the NBA. In preseason, the stars play limited minutes. Lots of players aren’t in peak physical condition. And preseason games don’t matter. That’s not the best way to win new fans.

Has Carlos Boozer played last game for Jazz?

Jody Genessy of the Deseret News reports:

Nobody knows where Carlos Boozer will end up after he becomes an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

That’s not the only unsettled — and unsettling — question regarding the Utah Jazz power forward.

Many had to wonder where he was Monday for most of Game 4, too.

Miami? Chicago? New Jersey? Detroit?

Boozer — especially his offensive game the Jazz rely on — was missing in action for much of the night during Utah’s season-ending 111-96 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers at EnergySolutions Arena.

“I thought I was terrible,” Boozer admitted.

Struggling again to cope with the Los Angeles Lakers’ length, Boozer didn’t seem to save his best for what could have been his last performance in a Jazz uniform. Though he grabbed 14 rebounds, Boozer’s shot was way off again… He missed seven of 11 field goals and finished with only 10 points.

Grizzlies and Coach Lionel Hollins agree to contract extension

The Memphis Grizzlies and Head Coach Lionel Hollins have agreed on a multi-year contract extension, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today.

In his first full season as an NBA head coach, Hollins guided Memphis to a 40-42 record (.488), the fourth-best season in the franchise’s 15-year history. The Grizzlies recorded a 16-game improvement in 2009-10, second only to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Since naming Hollins the 11th head coach in club history on Jan. 25, 2009, Memphis has steadily improved, posting a 53-68 record (.438) after going 55-152 (.266) in the two-and-a-half seasons prior.

Under Hollins, the Grizzlies set franchise records in 2009-10 for scoring (102.5 points) and field goal percentage (.469) while establishing the longest home and road winning streaks in club history (11-game home winning streak from Dec. 18, 2009-Jan. 25, 2010, seven-game road winning streak from Feb. 17-March 10, 2010). The former 1978 NBA All-Star with the Portland Trail Blazers also helped Grizzlies forward and nine-year NBA veteran Zach Randolph earn his first career All-Star appearance, as he set or tied 16 franchise records in his first season in the Bluff City.

The 22-year NBA coaching veteran was named the Western Conference Coach of the Month after leading the Grizzlies to a 9-4 record (.692) in December, the best December record and sixth-highest winning percentage for a single month in team history.

An original member of the Grizzlies organization as an assistant coach with Vancouver in 1995, Hollins rallied Memphis to win 39 of its final 73 games (.534) after a 1-8 start to the season. He also helped the Grizzlies snap long-standing road losing streaks against opponents such as the San Antonio Spurs (10 games), New Orleans Hornets (eight games), Phoenix Suns (seven games), Chicago Bulls (five games), Portland Trail Blazers (four games) and Philadelphia 76ers (four games). The Grizzlies also defeated every NBA division leader this season.

A member of the 1977 NBA Champion Portland Trail Blazers, Hollins holds a lifetime NBA coaching record of 71-114 (.384), having served as the Grizzlies’ interim head coach for 60 games in the 1999-00 season and four games during the 2004-05 campaign.

Game 4: Lakers eliminate Jazz

The AP reports:

The Lakers stormed out to a 22-point lead in the first half, then withstood a brief surge by Utah in the third quarter before regaining control in the fourth and winning 111-96 on Monday night, sweeping the second-round series and advancing to the Western Conference finals for the third straight year.

“With close-out games, you have a tendency to lose focus,” said Kobe Bryant, who scored 32 for the Lakers. “We kept our concentration and paid attention to detail.”

Pau Gasol added 33 points and 14 rebounds for the Lakers, who are off until hosting the Phoenix Suns next Monday in Game 1 of the West finals…

“We’re a playoff team and they’re a championship team. They’re just better than we are,” said Deron Williams, who had 21 points and nine assists for the Jazz…

Carlos Boozer had 10 points and 14 rebounds, and Kyrylo Fesenko added 12 rebounds for Utah, which was swept for the first time in 21 years.

Game 4: Magic eliminate Hawks

The AP reports:

Vince Carter scored 22 points to lead another dominating performance by the Magic, which finished off its second straight playoff sweep with a 98-84 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night.

Orlando won the four games by an average of 25.3 points—a total blowout that no one could have expected in a matchup between the teams that finished second and third in the Eastern Conference. It was the most lopsided four-game sweep in NBA playoff history, according to STATS LLC…

“We would have to be playing at our absolute, absolute best—like, mistake free—to beat that team,” said Jamal Crawford, who led Atlanta with 18 points…

Atlanta held Dwight Howard to 13 points and eight rebounds, but the Magic had plenty of other options…

Jameer Nelson was unstoppable, baffling the Hawks with his now-you-see-him, now-you-don’t quickness. He finished with 16 points and nine assists. Rashard Lewis scored 17 points, knocking down four 3-pointers. Mickael Pietrus scored 12 points—all of them from beyond the arc.

As a team, Orlando was 16 of 37 from 3-point range, taking more long-range shots than two-pointers (28). Overall, the Magic shot 55 percent from the field and never trailed during either game in Atlanta…

Hawks star Joe Johnson finished off a miserable series by scoring only 14 points on 5-for-15 shooting.

Joe Johnson probably costing himself money with play vs Magic

Chris Sheridan of ESPN reports:

“Joe, do you think you are costing yourself money?”

That was the question posed to Joe Johnson after one of the more lackluster playoff performances a supposed max-salary player had played since the term “max-salary player” was added to the NBA lexicon in 1999.

And even more unbelievable than his performance and that of his teammates was Johnson’s answer: “No.”

Huh?

Let me try to get this straight: In one of the final games this highly talented player will perform in before becoming an unrestricted free agent July 1, Johnson attempted 15 shots, missed 12 of them, was booed repeatedly and loudly and had about as much impact on the outcome as teammate Mario West, who was inactive.

Memo to Johnson: Go back and take a look at what the Dow Jones did last Thursday. Go look at the value of Accenture stock, which went from $35 a share to mere pennies in an eyeblink. (OK, so that was caused by a glitch.) Read up on what’s happening with the economic crisis in Greece, where the word “plummet” is being redefined downward with each passing day.

Because a stinker like the one Johnson played Saturday in the Atlanta Hawks’ 105-75 shellacking at the hands of the Orlando Magic is bound to have a profound, multimillion-dollar impact on the value of the contract(s) Johnson will be offered when he hits the open market.

Should LeBron guard Rondo?

Marla Ridenour of the Akron Beacon Journal reports:

It’s time for LeBron James to guard Rajon Rondo.

It will go against every fiber of Cavs coach Mike Brown’s defense-is-everything being, especially with the possible fallout of who is left to match up against Paul Pierce.

But Rondo, the Celtics’ fourth-year point guard, is having his way with the Cavs in the Eastern Conference semifinals, while Pierce has been mired in mediocrity. How much the latter has to do with James is up to debate.

So it’s time for drastic measures.

Tied 2-2, the series has turned into a best-of-three heading into Game 5 on Tuesday night at Quicken Loans Arena. And while both teams have been subject to wild swings in consistency and intensity, the one constant has been Rondo.

Game 4: Amare scores 29, Suns sweep Spurs

The AP reports:

Game 4: Stoudemire scores 29, Suns sweep Spurs

Steve Nash scored 20 points and played with a right eye that was swollen shut as Phoenix swept San Antonio from the Western Conference semifinals with a 107-101 win Sunday night. Amare Stoudemire led the way with 29 points to help the Suns get past the Spurs in the playoffs for the first time in five tries.

“That was ugly,” Suns forward Channing Frye said walking off the court.

Kind of like Nash’s black-and-blue, stitched-up eye.

But it didn’t bother Nash, who scored 10 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter to help smother a rally by the Spurs. Nash was accidentally struck by one of Tim Duncan’s elbows in the third quarter and briefly went to the locker room. He came back with an ice pack on his eye when he finally returned to the court…

Tony Parker scored 22 points to lead the Spurs, who were swept out of the playoffs for the first time since 2001. George Hill had 17 points, and was fouled while hitting a 3-pointer with 26.5 seconds left that gave the Spurs a flicker of hope.

InsideHoops.com notes:

The Suns got a huge boost from Jared Dudley, who came off the bench to shoot 6-of-7, including 3-of-3 three-pointers, for 16 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals in 31 minutes.

Grant Hill was a role player, putting up just four points and few measurable stats in 35 minutes.

Leandro Barbosa shot just 2-for-10, for seven points.

Goran Dragic received just 11 minutes, scoring six on six shots, with three assists.

For the Spurs, Manu Ginobili had a great game aside from miserable shooting, hitting just 2-of-11 shots (but with 10-of-12 free throws) for 15 points, six rebounds, nine assists and five steals.

Tony Parker scored 22, but needed 19 shots to do it.

Tim Duncan had 17 points (on 14 shots), eight rebounds, two steals and three blocks.

Live fan discussion of the game took place in this forum topic.