National Basketball Association Playoff Game Capsules

Published May 03, 2013

Sports Network

Chicago, IL –  The Barclays Center will host a Game 7 in its inaugural season after the Brooklyn Nets escaped Chicago with a 95-92 win over the short-handed Bulls on Thursday to force a deciding game in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals. Deron Williams scored 17 points, handed out 11 assists and won a jump ball against Joakim Noah in the closing seconds of Game 6 to seal the victory. Brook Lopez and Joe Johnson also netted 17 points apiece while Gerald Wallace had 15 for the Nets, who forced the series back to Brooklyn for Saturday's Game 7 despite shooting 28 percent from the field in the second half. The Bulls were playing without starting point guard Kirk Hinrich for the second straight game because of a calf injury, while their leading scorer during the regular season, Luol Deng, was sidelined due to flu-like symptoms. Nate Robinson and Taj Gibson were also slowed with the flu, but played through as the Bulls squandered a second chance at advancing to the conference semis. Robinson put in 18 points, Noah and Carlos Boozer each recorded double-doubles and Marco Belinelli led Chicago with 22 points over 46-plus minutes. Belinelli, though, missed a potential tying 3-pointer on Chicago's final possession.

Final Score: Golden State 92, Denver 88

Oakland, CA (Sports Network) - The Golden State Warriors are headed to the Western Conference semifinals, but only after nearly blowing an 18-point lead in the fourth quarter. Stephen Curry scored 14 of his 22 points in a momentum- changing third quarter and Golden State fended off a furious Denver comeback to win Game 6 in a 92-88 thriller. Andrew Bogut stepped up with 14 points and 21 rebounds after a silent start to the series, and the sixth-seeded Warriors, appearing in the postseason for the first time since 2007, held Denver to 35 percent shooting to advance. Draymond Green chipped in 16 points with 10 boards and netted six critical points after the Nuggets made things interesting with a late 13-0 run. David Lee surprisingly made a brief appearance in the first quarter, and it's unclear whether the All-Star forward will play in the next round against the San Antonio Spurs. Denver, the West's No. 3 seed, lost all three games at Oracle Arena and heads home early following its 57-win regular season. Andre Iguodala led the way Thursday with 24 points, nine rebounds and six assists, while Ty Lawson added 17 points, though the point guard had just five after halftime. Wilson Chandler scored 11 points, but shot just 5-of-17 from the floor and missed a potential tying runner in the final minute.

View the original article here

National Basketball Association Game Capsules

New York, NY –  Courtney Lee scored 20 points and the Boston Celtics handled the Orlando Magic with ease, 120-88, on Saturday. Lee was one of seven Boston players to score double-digits. Jeff Green and Jordan Crawford had 17 and 16 points, respectively. Kevin Garnett, Brandon Bass and Avery Bradley scored 14 points apiece, with Garnett also grabbing nine boards. Paul Pierce tallied 12 points for the Celtics, who were coming off a 109-101 loss at Miami on Friday. The Celtics, who beat the Magic for the eighth straight time, clinched the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference standings with two games left on the schedule. They will face Indiana at home on Tuesday before finishing the regular season in Toronto on Wednesday. Tobias Harris scored 22 points and Nik Vucevic recorded a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds for the Magic, who have lost six of their last seven games.

Final Score: Charlotte 95, Milwaukee 85

Charlotte, NC (Sports Network) - Josh McRoberts filled out the stat sheet with 18 points, nine rebounds and a career-high nine assists and Bismack Biyombo recorded a double-double with 13 points and a game-high 17 boards as Charlotte downed Milwaukee, 95-85, on Saturday to hand the Bucks a ninth straight road loss. Kemba Walker scored 21 points to go along with four rebounds and three assists and tied Brevin Knight's (2005-06) franchise record for steals in a season with 157 for the Bobcats, who saw a four-game losing streak come to an end. Mike Dunleavy had 19 points and Monta Ellis added 16 for the Bucks, who already clinched a spot in the playoffs, but have dropped four straight and 11 of 14 overall. John Henson supplied eight points and 11 rebounds in defeat for Milwaukee, which hasn't found victory on the road since a March 10 win over Sacramento. The Bucks are now guaranteed the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference and will play top-seeded defending champion Miami in the first round.

Final Score: LA Clippers 91, Memphis 87

Memphis, TN (Sports Network) - Chris Paul made 1-of-2 shots from the free throw line with 18.3 seconds remaining as the Los Angeles Clippers held off Memphis, 91-87 to snap the Grizzlies' 13-game home winning streak. Paul, who finished with 13 points and five assists, put the visitors ahead 89-87. After Los Angeles forced a turnover on a pass from Memphis' Mike Conley, Blake Griffin went to the charity stripe to extend the lead, but missed both shots. He was fouled on a clear path violation, however, which gave the Clippers the ball back and Jamal Crawford made two free throws with 2.2 seconds left to secure the win. DeAndre Jordan scored 16 points and grabbed 12 rebounds and Griffin added 12 points and nine boards for the Clippers, who have won five straight. Marc Gasol had game-high 18 points and 15 rebounds and Zach Randolph chipped in 16 points and 12 boards for the Grizzlies, who had a three-game winning streak come to an end. They sit in fifth place in the Western Conference, one spot behind the Clippers. Memphis was handed its first setback at home since Feb. 5 against Phoenix.

Final Score: Minnesota 105, Phoenix 93

Minneapolis, MN (Sports Network) - Ricky Rubio had 24 points and 10 assists and led the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 105-93 win over the Phoenix Suns. J.J. Barea scored 16 points off the bench while Derrick Williams and Andrei Kirilenko had 15 and 14 points, respectively, for the Timberwolves, who snapped a three-game losing streak. Though the Timberwolves are out of playoff contention for the ninth straight season, the victory gives them 20 wins at the Target Center for the first time since the 2006-07 season. With a win over Utah on Monday the Timberwolves could finish above .500 at home for the first time since the 2005-06 season. Markieff Morris had a team-high 20 points and nine rebounds while Jared Dudley tallied 16 points for the Suns, who snapped a 10-game losing streak on Wednesday with a 102-91 win at Dallas. Luis Scola had 14 points and nine rebounds, but also recorded eight turnovers while Goran Dragic had a double- double with 10 points and 14 assists in the setback.

View the original article here

National Basketball Association Game Capsules

Published March 24, 2013

Sports Network

New York, NY –  Dahntay Jones sank a go-ahead free throw with 22.4 seconds remaining to lift the Atlanta Hawks to a 104-99 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Jones, who finished 1-for-5 from the charity stripe, hit the first free throw before missing the second, but Anthony Tolliver grabbed the offensive board to keep possession with the Hawks. Al Horford then sank two more from the line, and after Monta Ellis came up empty on a potential game-tying 3-pointer, Jeff Teague knocked down a pair from the stripe to seal the outcome. Horford finished with 24 points, seven rebounds and six assists, while Josh Smith added 23 points and nine boards for the Hawks, who defeated the Bucks 98-90 on Wednesday in Atlanta. Ellis led Milwaukee with 20 points and Ersan Ilyasova registered a double-double with 19 points and 10 boards for the Bucks, who have lost three straight and six of their last eight.

View the original article here

National Basketball Association Game Capsules

New York, NY –  Gerald Henderson registered 27 points and eight assists in leading the Charlotte Bobcats to a 119-114 win over the Washington Wizards on Monday. Henderson was one of seven players to score double-digits for the Bobcats, who came into the game off two straight losses. Ben Gordon and Kemba Walker scored 19 and 18 points, respectively, while Josh McRoberts had 17 points and seven rebounds. Byron Mullens scored 12 points off the bench and the Bobcats received 11 apiece from Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Jannero Pargo. John Wall had a team-high 25 points for the Wizards, who had a three-game winning streak snapped. Nene recorded 21 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, while Emeka Okafor and Garrett Temple each scored 17.

Final Score: Indiana 111, Cleveland 90

Cleveland, OH (Sports Network) - Gerald Green led a balanced attack with 20 points and six rebounds as the Indiana Pacers got back on track with a 111-90 triumph over the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena. Tyler Hansbrough, starting for injured David West, tallied 18 points and 11 rebounds. Paul George scored 14 and Roy Hibbert manned the paint with 12 points, nine rebounds and five blocks in the victory. Cleveland, losers of five of six and just 1-3 since Kyrie Irving went out with a shoulder injury, shot just 38 percent from the field in the drubbing. C.J. Miles was 4-of-8 from beyond the arc en route to a game-high 21 points off the bench and Tristan Thompson followed with 20 points and 11 boards.

Final Score: Philadelphia 101, Portland 100

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Jrue Holiday had 27 points, eight rebounds and six assists in the Philadelphia 76ers' 101-100 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. Spencer Hawes added 18 points and 13 rebounds for Philly, which found out earlier Monday that center Andrew Bynum would undergo season-ending knee surgery on both knees. LaMarcus Aldridge finished with 32 points and 14 rebounds but missed a potential go-ahead shot before the buzzer. Damian Lillard chipped in 27 points, seven boards and seven helpers for the Blazers, who have dropped 13 of their last 15 contests on the road.

Final Score: Dallas 127, Atlanta 113

Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - Darren Collison scored a game-high 24 points and Dirk Nowitzki added 22 as the Dallas Mavericks cruised to a 127-113 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Monday. O.J. Mayo added 17 points, while Chris Kaman and Vince Carter added 14 and 13 points, respectively, for the Mavericks, winners in six of their last eight games. Brandan Wright added 12 points and eight rebounds in the triumph. Jeff Teague scored 19 points and Al Horford had 16 points and 11 boards for the Hawks, who had won three straight entering the contest.

Final Score: Brooklyn 119, Detroit 82

Auburn Hills, MI (Sports Network) - Deron Williams scored 31 points and the Brooklyn Nets kept the Detroit Pistons winless in March with a 119-82 thumping at the Palace of Auburn Hills. The Nets opened their eight-game road trip with a relatively easy victory by hitting 54 percent from the field and holding Detroit to 1-of-18 shooting from behind the arc. Brook Lopez scored 18 points, Joe Johnson added 13 and Andray Blatche checked in with 15 in the rout. The Pistons have dropped a season-high nine straight and six in a row at home. Will Bynum scored a team-high 18 points, while Greg Monroe had 17 in defeat.

Final Score: Miami 105, Boston 103

Boston, MA (Sports Network) - The Miami Heat are 10 straight wins away from matching an unprecedented mark that was once thought never to be threatened. LeBron James' go-ahead jumper with 10.5 seconds remaining gave the Heat their 23rd straight victory, a 105-103 triumph over the Boston Celtics. Miami surpassed the Houston Rockets' 22-game run during the 2007-08 campaign to sit alone in second on the NBA's all-time winning streak list. The 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers are the only team that stands in the Heat's way. They won 33 straight contests. James tallied 37 points, 12 assists and seven rebounds for the Heat, who overcame a 17-point second quarter deficit. The Celtics ended the Rockets' streak on this very day five years ago, but not even a career-high 43-point performance from Jeff Green could help Boston extend its 11-game home winning streak. After James hit his jumper, Shane Battier blocked Green's drive down the lane. Paul Pierce came off a screen on the ensuing out-of-bounds play, but his 3-point try from the right wing with 4.9 seconds left was off the mark.

Final Score: Denver 119, Chicago 118 (OT)

Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Andre Iguodala's 3-pointer and Joakim Noah's offensive goaltending in the final 7.1 seconds of overtime kept the Nuggets' winning streak alive, as Denver escaped United Center with a controversial 119-118 victory over the Chicago Bulls. Wilson Chandler scored 35 points for Denver, which has won 12 in a row, while Nate Robinson paced the Bulls with 34. The goaltending call overshadowed a great game from Noah, who totaled 14 points, 12 rebounds, seven blocks and six assists.

Final Score: Memphis 92, Minnesota 77

Memphis, TN (Sports Network) - Mike Conley had 20 points with six assists and led the Memphis Grizzlies to a 92-77 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday. Zach Randolph registered 14 points and 10 rebounds while Tayshaun Prince scored 12 points and grabbed 14 boards for the Grizzlies, who have won seven of their last nine games. Alexey Shved had a team-high 12 points for the Timberwolves, who have lost 11 of their last 14 games. Mickael Gelabale and J.J. Barea scored 11 points apiece, with Gelabale grabbing seven boards in the setback.

Final Score: Golden State 93, New Orleans 72

New Orleans, LA (Sports Network) - Stephen Curry canned six 3-pointers en route to a game-high 30 points and the Golden State Warriors dominated the fourth quarter to take a 93-72 victory against the New Orleans Hornets. The Warriors, who recently had lost nine of their last 10 road games, have now won two in a row away from home. David Lee chipped in a double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds and Klay Thompson contributed 13 points in the victory. Ryan Anderson had a team-leading 21 points to go with nine rebounds in New Orleans' third defeat to the Warriors this season. Losers in 11 of 14 games overall, Anthony Davis scored 16 and Greivis Vasquez notched 14 points with nine assists.

Final Score: Phoenix 99, LA Lakers 76

Phoenix, AZ (Sports Network) - Luis Scola scored all 14 of his points in a one-sided fourth quarter as the Phoenix Suns took care of the Kobe Bryant-less Los Angeles Lakers, 99-76, at US Airways Center. Wesley Johnson added 14 points and nine rebounds, while Goran Dragic had 12 points and 10 assists for Phoenix, which snapped a four-game slide by winning the final stanza by a 28-10 margin. Jared Dudley chipped in 13 points for a Suns bench that outscored Los Angeles' reserves, 52-17. The Lakers were without Bryant (ankle) for both games of a back-to-back and were unable to find much offense, as they made just 33 percent of their shots in their lowest scoring output of the season. Steve Nash scored a team-high 19 points for Los Angeles, while Dwight Howard totaled 16 points and 11 boards in the setback, just the club's fourth in 15 games since the All-Star break.

Final Score: New York 90, Utah 83

Salt Lake City, UT (Sports Network) - J.R. Smith and Raymond Felton paced a short-handed Knicks offense and New York salvaged a messy five-game road trip with a 90-83 victory the Utah Jazz at EnergySolutions Arena. After dropping the first four games of the west coast trek by an average of 20 points, the Knicks were able to hold on late and cling to their one-game lead in the Atlantic division over the Brooklyn Nets, who defeated the Pistons earlier on Monday. Smith scored 20 points, Felton added 19 and Chris Copeland finished with 14 for New York, which has been without All-Stars Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler for the last three games due to knee injuries. Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap were held to 10 and 12 points, respectively, against an undersized New York front line. Gordon Hayward scored a team-high 17 points in defeat, which snapped a three-game home winning streak.

View the original article here

Bus carrying Maine women's basketball team crashes north of Boston

GEORGETOWN, Mass. –  A bus carrying University of Maine women's basketball players ran off a highway north of Boston on Tuesday night, seriously injuring the driver, who police said may have had a medical episode.

State police said 22 other people on the bus, including students and athletic staff, had only minor injuries.

The driver, whose identity was not immediately released, was taken by helicopter to a Boston hospital.

The bus was southbound on Interstate 95 at about 8:30 p.m. when it crossed the median, went across the northbound lane and down an embankment into woods near Georgetown, a town of about 8,000 residents 30 miles from Boston.

Georgetown Fire Chief Al Beardsley said it was a miracle no other cars were involved.

"This is a very heavily traveled road, day and night, and for a bus that size to basically catapult across the road, I couldn't imagine being northbound and seeing that thing coming at me," Beardsley said at the scene.

The University of Maine said Coach Richard Barron was treated for minor facial cuts and three others -- players Ashleigh Roberts and Corinne Wellington, and Samantha Wheeler, the team's director of basketball operations -- were taken to a hospital for observation. The team was en route to play Boston University on Wednesday night.

"We're very thankful that this accident was not any worse than it was," Robert Dana, vice president for student affairs and dean of students, said in a statement. "The thoughts of the entire University of Maine community are with the bus driver and the team as they contend with this very frightening event."

Beardsley said authorities are still investigating what caused the driver to veer off the highway, which has four lanes in each direction and a broad median. Police say their preliminary investigation indicates he had a medical issue.

The bus remained upright and appeared to have plowed through a roadside snowbank, knocked down a mile marker, and crashed into woods along the road before coming to rest pointing down an embankment.

"He hit pretty high up on the tree, you can see marks," Beardsley said.

The bus was owned by the John T. Cyr & Sons Inc. bus line of Old Town, Maine. A man who answered the phone at the company's office late Tuesday said company officials were gathering information and had notified their insurance carrier.

UMaine Athletic Director Steve Abbott told WHDH-TV in Boston that it was "quite a traumatic ride" and that although passengers were shaken up none were seriously hurt. He said the university has used the bus company extensively and found it to be a "terrific carrier."

A state police car that stopped at the scene was struck by another car. The trooper who had been driving it was taken to a hospital with what appeared to be minor injuries, police said. Police said the driver of the car was not hurt.

Earlier this month, a bus crash in Boston injured 35 people, including high school students and chaperones, from Pennsylvania. The coach slammed into a 10-foot-high overpass on Feb. 2 while returning to the Philadelphia area from a trip to Harvard University.

View the original article here