The AP reports: Joe Johnson scored 28 points, Josh Childress added 20 and the Hawks beat the Milwaukee Bucks 115-96 on Wednesday night to maintain the eighth and final playoff position in the Eastern Conference. Atlanta also escaped a major scare when X-rays of Bibby’s left thumb came back negative… Andrew Bogut led the Bucks with 27 points and nine rebounds, but the 7-foot center left the game after Marvin Williams accidentally hit him in the face midway through the fourth… Michael Redd finished with 20 points for Milwaukee, which has lost seven straight on the road.
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Brandon Roy out 4 games or more
Brandon Roy did not travel with the team to Golden State today after sustaining a right groin strain in Tuesday’s game vs. the Washington Wizards. Roy will miss Portland’s next four games and then be re-evaluated. LaMarcus Aldridge (right ankle sprain) did travel with the team to Golden State and is listed as a game time decision for tomorrow’s game vs. the Warriors.
Mar. 25: Blazers 102, Wizards 82
The AP reports: Martell Webster had 23 points, Travis Outlaw added 20 and the Portland Trail Blazers overcame the loss of top scorer Brandon Roy to beat the Washington Wizards 102-82 on Tuesday night. Jarrett Jack added 17 points and Joel Przybilla had 17 rebounds for the Blazers, who shot 49.4 percent despite Roy leaving with a strained right groin on the last play of the first quarter. Portland was already without LaMarcus Aldridge, the team’s second-leading scorer who sprained an ankle Monday against Seattle. Caron Butler had 19 to lead Washington, which was missing Gilbert Arenas after he had his return from knee surgery pushed back a week… Antonio Daniels had 14 points and eight assists for the Wizards, who had won six of their last seven. Leading scorer Antawn Jamison struggled, with nine points and eight rebounds on just 3-of-13 shooting.
Mar. 25: Jazz 128, Bobcats 106
The AP reports: Carlos Boozer had 28 points and 13 rebounds, and Deron Williams added 14 points and 15 assists to lead the Utah Jazz over the Charlotte Bobcats 128-106 on Tuesday night. Mehmet Okur also had a double-double for Utah with 20 points and 10 rebounds, and the Jazz pulled away after letting a 20-point lead slip to three early in the fourth quarter. Matt Harpring added a season-high 18 points and Kyle Korver scored 10, hitting three 3-pointers after the Bobcats rallied to make it close. Jason Richardson scored 26 and Gerald Wallace added 21 points for the Bobcats, who lost their sixth straight road game.
Mar. 25: Mavs 103, Clippers 90
The AP reports: Dallas, which had lost three straight, led only 60-58 when Josh Howard got rolling. Howard scored 20 of the Mavericks’ next 26 points, putting them up by 16 early in the fourth quarter. He finished with 32 points, easily his most since Jason Kidd arrived. Erick Dampier also stepped up for Dallas, scoring 19 points and matching his season high with 17 rebounds. Jerry Stackhouse scored 20 and Kidd had 10 points, eight assists and six rebounds… Corey Maggette led Los Angeles with 21 points before fouling out. Tim Thomas had 13, most coming on consecutive 3-pointers in the third quarter, and Nick Fazekas had 10 points in 16 minutes.
Mar. 25: Bulls 103, Hawks 94
The AP reports: Drew Gooden scored a season-high 31 points and matched a season best with 16 rebounds Tuesday night as the Chicago Bulls held on in the fourth quarter for a 103-94 victory over the Atlanta Hawks. The Bulls, one of several teams chasing the Hawks for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, led by 12 after three quarters before Atlanta rallied within two with just more than six minutes left. Ben Gordon’s 3-pointer with 1:27 to go gave the Bulls a 97-90 lead, and he added two free throws with 28 seconds left. Gordon finished with 16 points. Josh Childress scored 22, including eight in the final quarter, to lead Atlanta. Mike Bibby added 18.
Mar. 25: Hornets 114, Pacers 106
The AP reports: David West had 35 points and 16 rebounds, and the New Orleans Hornets beat Indiana 114-106 on Tuesday night in the Pacers’ first game since CEO Donnie Walsh announced he was leaving the team at the end of the season. Chris Paul had 31 points and 14 assists as the Hornets won their fourth straight to maintain the best record (48-21) in the Western Conference. Danny Granger led Indiana with 26 points and nine rebounds against his hometown team. The Pacers had been on a four-game winning streak, but the loss gave the Pacers back-to-back losing seasons for the first time since 1987-88 and 1988-89.
Mar. 25: Spurs 107, Magic 97
The AP reports: Manu Ginobili scored 28 points and Michael Finley added 24 as the San Antonio Spurs beat the Orlando Magic 107-97 on Tuesday night for their fourth straight win. Dwight Howard had 24 points and 21 rebounds, his eighth game this season with at least 20 in both categories. Rashard Lewis added 24, Keyon Dooling 19 and Carlos Arroyo 17. Tim Duncan had 19 points and 15 rebounds for San Antonio. Orlando was short-handed after losing starters Hedo Turkoglu and Jameer Nelson in the first half. Nelson left with a bruised jaw after apparently running into Howard, while Turkoglu sprained his right wrist.
Should playoffs be for top 16 league records regardless of conference?
What about having each division winner make the NBA playoffs, but aside from that, the best teams by record, regardless of conference or division?
The idea is inspired by the fact that this year’s West/East difference is huge. If the playoffs were to start today, the #7 and #8 seeds in the West, Dallas and Golden State, have 44 and 43 wins, respectively. The #7 and #8 seeds in the East, Atlanta and New Jersey, have 30 wins each. It isn’t even close.
If the top 16 teams were to make the playoffs, this is who would get in:
Boston, Detroit, New Orleans, LA Lakers, Houston, Phoenix, San Antonio, Utah, Orlando, Dallas, Golden State, Denver, Cleveland, Washington and Portland.
That’s according to winning percentage.
What do you think? Post your opinion in this forum thread.
Cavaliers sign Lance Allred to second 10-day contract
The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed center Lance Allred to a second 10-day contract, Cavaliers General Manager Danny Ferry announced today.
Allred has played in two games for Cleveland. He signed his first 10-day contract on March 13.