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Paul Flannery of WEEI reports (via blog):
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Rasheed Wallace picked up three quick fouls in the first half and went 1-for-5 in 13 minutes of Game 1 against the Cavaliers. He was also a liability again on the defensive end where his rotations were slow and his help defense was lacking.
“He has to play better, bottom line,” Doc Rivers said Sunday. “He has to play better defense. The offense will come but he has to be a better defender. We can’t wait. He has to play better.”
The AP reports:
The Atlanta Hawks weren’t going to let another game slip away on their home court.
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After keeping their season alive with a gutty win in Milwaukee, the Hawks made sure the Bucks were in no position to duplicate their improbable Game 5 upset. Jamal Crawford scored 22 points, Al Horford put up a double-double and Atlanta pulled away for a 95-74 win Sunday that gave the Hawks a 4-3 triumph in the tougher-than-expected series…
The Hawks led by as many 24 late in the game and got a chance to pull their starters so they could receive a proper ovation from the sellout crowd of 19,241…
Milwaukee was essentially undone with less than two weeks to go in the regular season when Bogut tumbled to the court and ripped apart his right arm.
InsideHoops.com notes:
The Bucks scored just 13 points in the first quarter and failed to pick it up from there. The Hawks tied or exceeded the Bucks point totals in all four quarters of the game.
Atlanta shot 47.4%, the Bucks just 32.9%. Atlanta hit a decent 6-of-16 three-pointers, Milwaukee just 4-of-18. Atlanta won the rebounding battle 55-34. Milwaukee did control the ball, with just five turnovers.
For the Hawks, guard Jamal Crawford came off the bench (as usual) for 22 points (16 shots) and six assists. Center Al Horford (6-of-8) had 15 points, 16 rebounds, four assists and three blocks. Mike Bibby had 15 points (12 shots) and six rebounds — though just two assists. Josh Smith (5-of-7) had 15 points and not too much else.
For Milwaukee, no one stepped up on offense. Brandon Jennings had 15 points (but on 18 shots) and five assists. Luc Richard Mbah a Moute scored 13, with six rebounds. Forward Ersan Ilyasova came off the bench for 13 points (on 11 shots) and 11 rebounds. John Salmons shot a miserable 5-of-18 for 11 points.
The AP reports:
Demons lurk for the Phoenix Suns in their upcoming playoff series against the San Antonio Spurs.
They were also there in Game 1 of the 2007 Western Conference semifinals, when the Suns’ Steve Nash collided head-on with Tony Parker. A cut on Nash’s nose bled uncontrollably and he was forced to sit out 45 seconds of the critical final minute of a close loss in Phoenix.
A week later, in Game 4 in San Antonio, the Suns were wrapping up a victory with 18 seconds to go when Robert Horry slammed Nash into the scorer’s table with a hockey-style hip-check. Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw came off the bench to Nash’s defense.
The result, an automatic one-game suspension for Stoudemire and Diaw for “leaving the vicinity of the bench.” The short-handed Suns lost Game 5 in Phoenix, then the Spurs clinched the series with a win in San Antonio and went on to win the NBA title.
Tim Buckley of the Deseret News reports:
It may sound a little like it, arguably even a lot, but they’re not in awe of Kobe Bryant, coach Phil Jackson and the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers.
Really, they’re not, the Jazz insist.
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Instead, consider it more of a, ahem, healthy respect for the team that has eliminated them from both of the past two postseasons — and the one against which they open a Western Conference semifinal series this afternoon at the Staples Center.
“They’re a great team; they have one of the best players on the planet ever to play the game,” power forward Carlos Boozer said. “They have one of the best coaches who has ever coached the game. It’s not a secret. They’re champions for a reason. They’re d— good.
“They’re deep; they compete; they’re well-coached; they’re smart; they do a good job of playing to their strengths,” Boozer added. “And they have Kobe. He’s a game-changer.”
The AP reports:
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Denver Nuggets coach George Karl has another blood clot in his right leg as he recovers from radiation and chemotherapy treatment for throat and neck cancer.
Karl’s partner, Kim Van Deraa, wrote on her blog this weekend that the 58-year-old coach was rushed to the hospital Friday afternoon with the clot. She said doctors were trying to determine the cause because Karl already is on blood-thinning medication.
Van Deraa also writes that doctors reinserted a filter into his abdomen. The filter had been removed two weeks ago.
The filter prevents the clots from traveling to his hart or lungs. It initially was inserted in March when Karl was first treated for blood clots.
The AP reports:
Lakers center Andrew Bynum has a small tear in the meniscus in his right knee, leaving him questionable for Los Angeles’ second-round playoff opener against the Utah Jazz.
Lakers coach Phil Jackson said Bynum might try to play through the pain in Sunday’s opener at Staples Center.
Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports (via blog):
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Bucks guard Charlie Bell is not on the active for Game 7 due to a disciplinary issue, coach Scott Skiles said in his pre-game remarks to reporters.
The Bucks placed injured center Andrew Bogut on the active roster to take Bell’s place, but Bogut is not able to play.
“We’ve got a couple issues with Charlie Bell I’d rather not comment on, so we’re deactivating him,” Skiles said.
Julian Benbow of the Boston Globe reports:
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Considered a liability at the free throw line just six months ago, Rajon Rondo knocked down his first nine shots from the stripe last night, finishing 12 of 14. He’s 27 for 32 this postseason, best on the team.
“I’m just working,’’ Rondo said. “Working, continuing to stay humble, continuing to believe in my shot, believe in my free throws. I’m taking them. I’m trying to get to the hole. I drew a lot of fouls tonight. I’ve never shied away from getting fouled, it’s just tonight I got a couple calls. I made them foul me. I tried to make my shots.’’
“He’s the engine to their vehicle,’’ said Cavaliers guard Mo Williams, who answered Rondo’s 27-point, 12-assist night with 20 points and six assists.
Said Garnett, “[Rondo] was aggressive. Not only aggressive, but he was finding guys. He controlled the huddle, which is very rare for him, but you love to see it — one of the youngest players carried the huddle. And that’s what we’re going to need. We’re going to need everybody’s contribution to defeat this team.’’
The AP reports:
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Hours before receiving his second straight MVP award, LeBron James scored 35 points and Mo Williams added 20 as the Cleveland Cavaliers, outplayed for most of the game, stormed back to beat the Boston Celtics 101-93 on Saturday night in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series.
James, playing with a sprained and bruised right elbow, delivered yet another memorable performance as the Cavs withstood a furious punch from the Celtics, who led by 11 in the third and seem intent on making this a long series.
James, who also had seven rebounds and seven assists, drained a 3-pointer with 22 seconds left to put Boston away.
Rajon Rondo had 27 points and 12 assists and Kevin Garnett finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Celtics, who were held to 15 points in the fourth quarter.
InsideHoops.com notes:
The Cavs shot 48.7%, the Celtics 44.4%. Both teams struggled from three-point range. The Cavs hit 21-of-31 free throws, the Celtics 17-of-21. Rebounding was even, and assists were close.
For Cleveland, James scored 35. Mo Williams shot 8-of-14 for 20 points, five rebounds and six assists. Shaquille O’Neal (just 4-of-12) had 11. JJ Hickson (5-of-7) had 11 off the bench.
For Boston, Rondo had 27 points, six rebounds and 12 assists. Kevin Garnett (just 9-of-20, no free throw attempts) had 18 points, 10 rebounds, two steals and three blocks. Ray Allen had 14 but on 14 shots and contributed little else. Paul Pierce was just 5-of-17 for 13 points, three steals but more turnovers than rebounds or assists. Kendrick Perkins had 11 rebounds.
Fan discussion live as this game took place was here.
Bill Oram of the Salt Lake Tribune reports:
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For the second time in three games at EnergySolutions Arena, Paul Millsap’s grit, athleticism and uncanny ability to put a ball through a hoop propelled the Utah Jazz past Denver. This time, however, the victory Friday night meant the Jazz was advancing to the second round.
Millsap turned in a better-than- workmanlike line of 21 points and 11 rebounds. Spectacular, considering Carlos Boozer scored 22 and had 20 rebounds. It wasn’t the first time this series Millsap proved to be the guy who holds the Jazz together. In Game 3 he erupted for 22 points and 19 rebounds. And he comes off the bench.