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Fans predict first round playoff results

InsideHoops.com posted a poll two days ago asking fans to predict the results of the 2009 NBA playoffs first round.

In the East:

325 fans picked the Cavaliers to beat the Pistons. Just 29 picked Detroit.
321 fans picked the Magic to beat the 76ers. Just 20 picked Philadelphia.
258 fans picked the Celtics to beat the Bulls. 87 picked Chicago.
And in the East’s only fairly close result, 183 fans picked the Heat while 155 picked the Hawks.

As expected, other than the Lakers-Jazz series, the voting was pretty close in the West:

336 fans picked the Lakers to beat the Jazz. Just 17 picked Utah.
241 fans picked the Nuggets to beat the Hornets. 113 picked New Orleans.
224 fans picked the Spurs to beat the Mavericks. 122 picked Dallas.
198 fans picked the Trail Blazers to beat the Rockets. 152 picked Houston.

Yao has 24 points, Rockets beat Blazers 108-81

The AP reports: The 7-foot-6 Yao Ming scored nine of Houston’s first 11 points and finished with 24 in the Rockets’ 108-81 victory over the Trail Blazers on Saturday night. It was the opener of their first-round playoff series… Yao scored all of his points in the first half, and added nine rebounds. He hit all nine of his attempts from the field and all six of his free throws… Aaron Brooks added 27 points for the Rockets, who haven’t advanced out of the first round of the playoffs since 1997. Brandon Roy had 21 points for the Blazers in their first playoff appearance since the 2002-03 season. Portland embraced the young team this season, and some 10,000 fans showed up at a downtown rally earlier in the week in support of the team… Luis Scola finished with 19 points, and Artest had 17.

Yao, Scola lead Rockets past Hornets 86-66

The AP reports: Yao Ming scored 22 points, Luis Scola grabbed 15 rebounds and the Rockets routed the Hornets 86-66 on Monday night in their regular-season home finale. Houston came in holding the No. 4 seed in the West, but with the same record as San Antonio and Portland, who both won later in the night. If the Rockets win their last game in Dallas on Wednesday, they’ll secure their first division championship since 1993-94. But in the jumbled Western Conference, Houston could also slip to fifth place—and lose home-court advantage in the first round—with a loss to the Mavericks… David West had 14 points and 10 rebounds, and Chris Paul had nine points and seven assists for the Hornets, who’ve lost five of their last seven. Scott is worried about his team’s inconsistency heading into its regular-season finale Wednesday in San Antonio.

Mutombo gives Rockets boost in win over Warriors

The AP reports: Dikembe Mutombo had 10 points and 15 rebounds, Luis Scola added a career-high 28 points and the Houston Rockets maintained their slim hold on the third seed in the Western Conference with a 113-109 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Friday. Making a rare start after center Yao Ming was scratched from Houston’s lineup during pregame warmups because of lingering soreness in his right foot, the 42-year-old Mutombo blocked four shots and played a season-high 36 minutes while helping the Rockets complete a four-game season sweep of the Warriors. Ron Artest added 19 points and six assists for Houston, which remained a half-game in front of Portland and San Antonio for the third seed in the Western Conference… Kelenna Azubuike had 32 points and C.J. Watson and Ronny Turiaf added 18 apiece for Golden State (28-51), which overcame a 14-point deficit in the second half before falling short.

Artest scores 26, Rockets beat Kings 115-98

The AP reports: Cheered in pre-game warmups for his tenure in Sacramento, Ron Artest responded by scoring 26 points and the Houston Rockets used a big third quarter to pull away for a 115-98 victory over the Kings, Adelman’s first at Arco since being fired by the team after eight seasons… Yao Ming had 20 points and nine rebounds for the Rockets, who trailed by five at halftime but dominated the third quarter, taking an 11-point lead that never dipped back into single digits in the fourth. Luis Scola scored 15 points, Von Wafer had 13 and Shane Battier added 12. Spencer Hawes had 22 points and 11 rebounds for the struggling Kings, while Francisco Garcia and Andres Nocioni scored 17 each and rookie Jason Thompson added 16 points and 10 rebounds.

Yao, Wafer lead Rockets past Magic 93-83

The AP reports: Yao Ming scored 20 points and grabbed 16 rebounds, outplaying Dwight Howard and leading the Houston Rockets to a 93-83 victory over the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night. The 7-foot-6 Yao went 8-for-13 from the field and also blocked two shots. He played 38 minutes and got some help from 7-2 Dikembe Mutombo in handling Howard, the NBA’s leading rebounder and shot blocker… Ron Artest had 16 points and matched a season high with seven assists, and reserve Von Wafer scored 14 points for the Rockets, who stayed a half-game behind San Antonio in the race for the Southwest Division… Howard had 13 points and 10 rebounds, but went 3-for-9 from the free-throw line for the Magic, who slipped one game behind second-place Boston in the Eastern Conference standings.

Rockets beat Blazers 102-88

The AP reports: Houston beat Portland 102-88 on Sunday night, just hours after the Trail Blazers got their first playoff berth since 2003 when Dallas beat Phoenix 140-116… Yao Ming led the Rockets with 21 points and 12 rebounds in the win which moves Houston ahead of Portland into fourth place in the Western Conference with five games left in the regular season… Luis Scola added 16 points, Ron Artest had 15 and Aaron Brooks added 14 for the Rockets. LaMarcus Aldridge had 22 points and nine rebounds, but was slowed significantly by the dogged defense of Chuck Hayes. Hayes was his constant pest when he was in the game, helping limit him to 7-of-15 shooting.

Lakers get win no.60, beat Rockets 93-81

The AP reports: With six games left in the season and the Lakers already in the playoffs, Phil Jackson still won’t take his foot off the gas. Pau Gasol had 23 points and 10 rebounds, Kobe Bryant added 20 points, and the Los Angeles Lakers picked up their 60th victory by beating the Houston Rockets 93-81 on Friday night. Gasol and Bryant both played 38-plus minutes for the Lakers, who reached 60 wins for the 11th time in franchise history but the first since they went 67-15 in 1999-2000… Ron Artest had 21 points for the Rockets, who slid into fifth in the Western Conference, a half-game behind Portland… Yao Ming had 16 points, 10 rebounds and six blocks for the Rockets. Luis Scola scored 16 for Houston, which was swept by the Lakers in the season series for the first time in seven years.

Nash leads Suns past Rockets 114-109

The AP reports: A spirited victory over the Houston Rockets may be too little, too late for the Phoenix Suns. Steve Nash had 25 points and 17 assists—with just one turnover—and the Suns held on for a 114-109 victory on Wednesday night… Grant Hill had 23 points, Shaquille O’Neal 22 and Jason Richardson 18 as the Suns won their season-best sixth straight at home… Ron Artest scored 28 for the Rockets, who dropped to fourth in the crowded scramble for playoff positioning in the West, a game behind No. 2 Denver and a half-game behind San Antonio. Yao Ming, in a rugged matchup with O’Neal, had 20 points and 14 rebounds… Shane Battier added 18 points for Houston.

Yao leads Rockets to easy win over Clippers

The AP reports: The Houston Rockets had three days of practice before their game against the Los Angeles Clippers, and that turned out to be little more than a glorified scrimmage. Yao Ming had 21 points and 15 rebounds, and the Rockets led from start to finish in an easy 110-93 victory Saturday night. Aaron Brooks added 21 points, Shane Battier scored 15 and the Rockets stayed in third place in the Western Conference by beating the Clippers for the 20th time in the last 24 meetings… Eric Gordon scored 17 and Chris Kaman had 16 points for the Clippers, who played without Baron Davis (calf strain/ulcers) and leading rebounder Marcus Camby (sprained left ankle). Los Angeles has lost 11 of its last 12 road games.