Eastern Conference Playoffs, 1st Round

Game 2

Milwaukee Bucks 106 Boston Celtics 120

The Boston Celtics found themselves in a very tight game with the Milwaukee Bucks in game 1 and needed overtime to pull out the victory. Tonight would be much different.

The Celtics would jump out to an 11 point lead at the end of the first quarter and for the most part would cruise to victory. They led by as much as 20 points before the Bucks made a run to cut their lead to 10 points with 4:13 remaining in the game. But Boston would go on an 11-2 run to pull away, capped by a 3-pointer by Jaylen Brown, who led the Celtics with 30 points. Terry Rozier scored 23 points and dished out eight assists while Marcus Morris added 18 points and Al Horford added 16 points. Giannis Antetokounmpo led Milwaukee with 30 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists while Khris Middleton added 25 points and John Henson and Eric Bledsoe each added 12 points.

Boston leads series 2-0.

728huey said:

Eastern Conference Playoffs, 1st Round

Game 2

Washington Wizards 119 Toronto Raptors 130

The Toronto Raptors finally were able to push the opening playoff series loss monkey off their back in game 1 and hoped to build momentum on that. Meanwhile, the Washington Wizards felt they let the game get away from them in game 1 and hoped to bounce back with a better performance.

The Wizards would score the opening bucket, but after that Toronto went on a rampage. They were led by DeMar DeRozan, who scored a game high 37 points. The Raptors led by as much as 22 points at several points in this game, but the Wizards would attempt to claw their way back into this game in the fourth quarter. They cut the Raptors' lead to five points with just under eight minutes remaining in the game, but DeMar DeRozan took over and pulled his team ahead for good. Jonas Valanciunas scored 19 points and grabbed 14 rebounds for Toronto while C.J. Miles added 18 points and Kyle Lowry added 13 points, 12 assists, and seven rebounds. John Wall led the Wizards with 29 points and nine assists while Mike Scott added 20 points, Kelly Oubre Jr and Ty Lawson each added 14 points, and Otto Porter Jr. and Ian Mahinmi each added 12 points.

Toronto leads series 2-0.

Raptors in 5!

Wizards are another disappointing team that should have finished higher (even without Wall). Raptors need to make this a short series.

Must-win for Cleveland tonight....can someone else step up besides LeBron?

Western Conference Playoffs, 1st Round

Game 2

New Orleans Pelicans 111 Portland Trail Blazers 102

The New Orleans Pelicans dominated game 1 by playing crushing defense on Portland's backcourt and by crashing the paint, particularly Anthony Davis. But in this game it was Jrue Holiday who made his presence felt

Early in this game, however, the Blazers and Pecialnas would go back and forth, with Portland taking a five point lead into halftime. But Blazers' starters Jusuf Nurkic and Evan Turner would leave the game in the third quarter due to knee and toe injuries respectively, and New Orleans took advantage of their absence, jumping to an 11 point lead. But the Blazers would come back to tie the game on a 4-point play by Damian Lillard with 7:31 remaining in the game.

But then Jrue Holiday took over. He scored 33 points in this game including a crucial 3-point shot with a minute and a half remaining in the game that put the Pelicans up for good. He also dished out nine assists. Anthony Davis scored 22 points while also grabbing 13 rebounds. Former Chicago Bulls' teammates Rajon Rondo and Nikola Mirotic also had a good night, with Rondo nearly getting a triple double, scoring 16 points, grabbing 10 rebounds, and dishing out nine assists while Mirotic added 17 points and eight rebounds. C.J. McCollum scored 22 points for Portland while dishing out six assists, Damian Lillard added 17 points, and Al-Faroq Aminu added 14 points and 15 rebounds, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Pelcians, who now go home with a two game advantage.

New Orleans leads series 2-0.

Eastern Conference Playoffs, 1st Round

Game 2

Indiana Pacers 97 Cleveland Cavaliers 100

The Cleveland Cavaliers had not dropped an opening first round game in over a decade before this series, and they absolutely needed to win this game if they had any chance of getting back into this series. Lebron James seemed to take this challenge to heart, as he dominated this game from the start, scoring 46 points, grabbing 12 rebounds, and dishing out six assists. The Cavs jumped out to an 18 point lead in the first quarter.

But the Indiana Pacers would eventually crawl their way back into this game. Victor Oladipo would survive early foul trouble to score 22 points while Myles Turner added 18 points and Darren Collison added 16 points. the Pacers would cut the Cavs lead to just 3 points with 51 seconds remaining in the game. They had a chance to time the game after an offensive foul by the Cavs, but Oladipo missed his 3-point shot, and they were unable to corral the rebound. The Cavs would hang on from here. Kevin Love scored 15 points and grabbed eight rebounds for the Cavs but injured his shooting hand with about three minutes remaining, and his status for the next game is uncertain. Kyle Korver scored 12 points on four 3-pointers, but the rest of the team was mostly AWOL. If the Cavs expect to win this series, the supporting cast will need to step up.

Series tied at 1-1.

Western Conference Playoffs, 1st Round

Game 2

Utah Jazz 102 Oklahoma City Thunder 95

The Oklahoma City Thunder were able to pull away from the Utah Jazz in game 1 by the torrid shooting from Paul George. But in this game it was the Jazz who crashed the boards and made plays in the paint. Utah made their presend felt early, taking a seven point lead into halftime thanks tocareer playoff games from Derrick Favors who scored 20 points and grabbed 16 rebounds, and Ricky Rubio who scored 22 points, dished out nine assists, and grabbed seven rebounds.

However, OKC would go on a 22-9 run to take the lead in the third quarter. But Utah would come back thanks to Donovan Mitchell, who led Utah with 28 points and six rebounds including 13 points in the decisive fourth quarter. Rudy Gobert added 13 points and 15 rebounds. Russell Westbrook led the Thunder with 19 points, 13 assists, and nine rebounds. Carmelo Anthony added 17 points and nine rebounds but shot only 6 for 18 from the floor and missed a couple of 3-point attempts in the final minute that would have either tied the game or put OKC ahead. Paul George scored 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds but made only six shots on 21 attempts from the floor.

Series tied at 1-1.

The Rockets looked like the Rockets last night. Great game!

I am SO disappointed in Towns. It's the friggin' playoffs, man....don't wait for the coach to call a play for you.....get nasty, get in the paint and DEMAND the ball like Shaq said!


As a Knicks fan, watching Donovan Mitchell is like a stab in my heart.

Whew, so glad the Cavs won their much need game,even though it is only the second game in the series. They have just been lackluster overall this season and although I am trying to be optimistic, it will be tough for them to get out of the East, let alone making the Finals again this year. I got the feeling Lebron will leave the Cavs after this season too if they don't win. Hope I am wrong though, but I won't be surprised.

Western Conference Playoffs, 1st Round

Game 2

Minnesota Timberwolves 82 Houston Rockets 102

The Houston Rockets found themelves in a battle with the Minnesota Timberwolves late in game 1 despite the monster game from James Harden. They were hoping to have a more balanced and consistent effort in this game. Meanwhile, the Wolves were hoping to get Karl-Anthony Towns ignited into this series after a disappointing performance in game 1. Early on, the Wolves would keep the Rockets at bay, and Towns scored five points in the first quasrter. Unfortunately for him and Minnesota, those would be all the points he would score in this game. In fact, the entire starting five for the Wolves struggled in this game.

However, James Harden struggled in this game as well, finishing with just 12 points on 2 for 18 shootying from the floor. However, he was backed up by Chris Paul, who helped spark a 28-7 run in the second quarter to put the Rockets ahead for good. Paul finished with 27 points and eight assists. Gerald Green also contributed off the bench with 12 points and 12 rebounds while Trevor Ariza added 15 points. Nemanja Bjelica led Minnesota with 16 points, but as noted earlier the Wolves' big stars struggled, with Andrew Wiggins scoring just 13 points and Jimmy Butler scoring just 11 points in this game. No other player for Minnesota even reached double digits.

Houston leads series 2-0.

Eastern Conference Playoffs, 1st Round

Game 3

Philadelphia 76ers 128 Miami Heat 108

The Miami Heat were able to get back into this series thanks to an amazing turn-back-the-clock performance from Dwyane Wade, and they were hoping to use that momentum in front of their home crowd. Meanwile, Philly was looking forward to the return of Joel Embiid into their starting lineup.

It didn't take long for Embiid's presence to be felt. Though he struggled somewhat from the floor, shooting only five shots on 11 attempts, he more than made up for that from the free throw line, shooting 10 for 13 from the charity stripe, thus leading the Sixers with 23 points while also grabbing seven rebounds, blocking three shots and making a steal along the way. The first half went at a torrid pace on both sides, while the Sixers leading for much of the first half before Miami went on a run to take the lead into halftime.

Miami led by five points midway through the third quarter, but then Philly went on a run that accelerated in the fourth quarter after Ben Simmons got hot. Simmons finshed with 19 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists, and four steals. Dario Saric and Marco Belinelli each got hot from behind the 3-point line, with both of them shooting four 3-pointers and finishing with 21 points. Goran Dragic led Miami with 23 points while Justise Winslow added 19 points off the bench, Josh Richardson added 14 points, and James Johnson added 12 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. However, Dwyane Wade was limited to just eight points on 2 for 10 shooting from the floor.

Philadelphia leads series 2-1.

Western Conference Playoffs, 1st Round

Game 3

Portland Trail Blazers 102 New Orleans Pelicans 119

The New Orleans Pelicans came into this game with a 2-0 lead in this series and had yet to play in front of their home fans. Meanwhile, the Portland Trail Blazers had no answer for New Orleans' big men in the paint, and they needed help from their supporting cast if they expected to get back into this series.

The Blazers would hang tough with the Pelicans early in this game and were tied at 14. But New Orleans would go on a 21-4 run to close out the first quarter thanks to Rajon Rondo, who got the ball to Anthony Davis and Nikola Mirotic, and they never looked back. Mirotic led the Pelicans with 30 points and eight rebounds while Anthony Davis scored 28 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. Rajon Rondo and Jrue Holiday each added 16 points while Rondo also dished out 11 assists.

C.J. McCollum once again led the Blazers with 22 points while Al-Faroq Aminu added 21 points and eight rebounds. Damian Lillard added 20 points but struggled from the field, shooting 5 for 14 from the floor. No other Portland player reached double digits. The Pelicans now take a commanding lead in this series and hope to close it out with a sweep in their next game.

New Orleans leads series 3-0.

Missmusicluver72 said:

Whew, so glad the Cavs won their much need game,even though it is only the second game in the series. They have just been lackluster overall this season and although I am trying to be optimistic, it will be tough for them to get out of the East, let alone making the Finals again this year. I got the feeling Lebron will leave the Cavs after this season too if they don't win. Hope I am wrong though, but I won't be surprised.

Cavs were lucky Oladipo missed that last shot, because he was WIDE open. They're not going anywhere if LeBron has to keep shouldering the load.

728huey said:

Western Conference Playoffs, 1st Round

Game 3

Portland Trail Blazers 102 New Orleans Pelicans 119

The New Orleans Pelicans came into this game with a 2-0 lead in this series and had yet to play in front of their home fans. Meanwhile, the Portland Trail Blazers had no answer for New Orleans' big men in the paint, and they needed help from their supporting cast if they expected to get back into this series.

The Blazers would hang tough with the Pelicans early in this game and were tied at 14. But New Orleans would go on a 21-4 run to close out the first quarter thanks to Rajon Rondo, who got the ball to Anthony Davis and Nikola Mirotic, and they never looked back. Mirotic led the Pelicans with 30 points and eight rebounds while Anthony Davis scored 28 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. Rajon Rondo and Jrue Holiday each added 16 points while Rondo also dished out 11 assists.

C.J. McCollum once again led the Blazers with 22 points while Al-Faroq Aminu added 21 points and eight rebounds. Damian Lillard added 20 points but struggled from the field, shooting 5 for 14 from the floor. No other Portland player reached double digits. The Pelicans now take a commanding lead in this series and hope to close it out with a sweep in their next game.

New Orleans leads series 3-0.

How bout them Pels. They were playing great at the end of the regular season and now this. I think they go for the sweep and give Golden State a run for the money.

Western Conference Playoffs, 1st Round

Game 3

Golden State Warriors 110 San Antonio Spurs 97

The San Antonio Spurs came into this game with heavy hearts and without their head coach Gregg Popovich after the tragic death of his wife two days earlier from a long illness. The news came as a shock to the entire team, and the players tried to do the best they could to cope with the passing by playing with determined resolve and dedication to their coach.

The Spurs came out and hung tough early on, but they simply could not sustain that effort against a more talented team, as the Warriors simply pulled away from the shell-shocked Spurs. Kevin Durant led the Warriors with 26 points, nine rebounds, and six assists while Klay Thompson added 19 points and Shawn Livingston added 16 points off the bench. Draymond Green was working all around in this game, scoring 10 points, dishing out seven assists, grabbing six rebounds, blocking four shots and making two steals. Andre Iguodala added 14 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. LaMarcus Aldridge led the Spurs with 18 points and 10 rebounds while Tony Parker added 16 points and Patty Mills added 14 points in a heroic but losing effort.

Golden State leads series 3-0.

Eastern Conference Playoffs, 1st Round

Game 3

Cleveland Cavaliers 90 Indiana Pacers 92

The Cleveland Cavaliers were determined to take control of this series by making their presence known with a vengeance, and they did just that, running out of the gate early and jumping out to a 17 point lead at the half. Lebron James would join Michael Jordan to become only the second player to record 100 double-doubles in playoff history.

But then, either the Indiana Pacers stormed their way back into this game, or the Cavs went on an epic collapse. Either way, the Pacers got their game on in the second half, playing stifling defense and limiting the Cavs to just 12 points in the third quarter. They would eventually make a 24 point turanound that was sparked by Bojan Bogdanovic, who led all scorers with 30 points, and they led 81-77 with just over six minutes remaining in the game. But Lebron James would not let the Cavs go away quietly, as he scored the next seven points to tie the game. But Bogdanovic and Thaddeus Young would score the next seven points to put Indiana up with 53 seconds remaining. But Lebron and Kevin Love woud each hit a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to one with seven seconds remaining. After Darren Collison hit a free throw, he missed the second which was rebounded by J.R. Smith who made a last second 3-point attempt to win the game, but it hit the side of the backboard as time expired. Victor Oladipo finished with 18 points despite shooting just 5 for 15 from the floor while Thaddeus Young added 12 points for the victorious Pacers. Lebron James led the Cavs with 28 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists. Kevin Love scored 19 points and grabbed six rebounds despite playing with an injured hand, and George Hill added 13 points.

Indiana leads series 2-1.

[Edited 4/20/18 21:31pm]

Eastern Conference Playoffs, 1st Round

Game 3

Toronto Raptors 103 Washington Wizards 122

The Toronto Raptors rolled over the Washington Wizards in game 2, so the Wizards were determined to play a much better game now that they were on their home court. In particular, they wanted to get Bradley Beal more involved in this series after making only three shots in game 2.

The Raptors once again got off to a good start, leading 27-18 in the first quarter. But this time the Wizards went on a 12-2 run to close out the quarter with the lead. From then on, the Wizards would roll over the Raptors, led by their backcourt of John Wall and Bradley Beal who each scored 28 points, with Wall also dishing out 14 assists. Marcin Gortat broke out of a slump to score 16 points while Mike Scott and Kelly Oubre Jr. each added 12 points for Washington. DeMar DeRozan led Toronto with 22 points while Kyle Lowry added 19 points and eight assists and Jonas Valanciunas added 14 points.

Toronto leads series 2-1.

Eastern Conference Playoffs, 1st Round

Game 3

Boston Celtics 92 Milwaukee Bucks 116

The Milwaukee Bucks were shell-shocked in game 2 of this series, and while their stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton have played well, their supporting cast has not played up to par consistently. So if the Bucks had any chance to get back into this series, they absolutely need to step up.

Tonight they did just that. Milwaukee would jump out to a huge lead early and never looked back. They played crushing defense on the Celtics while also getting huge contributions from Eric Bledsoe and Jabari Parker, who both have had a diappointing series up to this point but each scored 17 points in this game. Khris Middleton led the Bucks with 23 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists while Giannis Antetokounmpo added 19 points, six assists, and five rebounds. Al Horford led the Celtics with 16 points while Greg Monroe added 15 points and 12 rebounds and Jayson Tatum added 14 points. However, the backcourt of Jaylen Brown and Terry Rozier struggled mightily in this game, scoring just 11 and nine points respectively.

Boston leads series 2-1.

728huey said:

Eastern Conference Playoffs, 1st Round

Game 3

Cleveland Cavaliers 90 Indiana Pacers 92

The Cleveland Cavaliers were determined to take control of this series by making their presence known with a vengeance, and they did just that, running out of the gate early and jumping out to a 17 point lead at the half. Lebron James would join Michael Jordan to become only the second player to record 100 double-doubles in playoff history.

But then, either the Indiana Pacers stormed their way back into this game, or the Cavs went on an epic collapse. Either way, the Pacers got their game on in the second half, playing stifling defense and limiting the Cavs to just 12 points in the third quarter. They would eventually make a 24 point turanound that was sparked by Bojan Bogdanovic, who led all scorers with 30 points, and they led 81-77 with just over six minutes remaining in the game. But Lebron James would not let the Cavs go away quietly, as he scored the next seven points to tie the game. But Bogdanovic and Thaddeus Young would score the next seven points to put Indiana up with 53 seconds remaining. But Lebron and Kevin Love woud each hit a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to one with seven seconds remaining. After Darren Collison hit a free throw, he missed the second which was rebounded by J.R. Smith who made a last second 3-point attempt to win the game, but it hit the side of the backboard as time expired. Victor Oladipo finished with 18 points despite shooting just 5 for 15 from the floor while Thaddeus Young added 12 points for the victorious Pacers. Lebron James led the Cavs with 28 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists. Kevin Love scored 19 points and grabbed six rebounds despite playing with an injured hand, and George Hill added 13 points.

Indiana leads series 2-1.

[Edited 4/20/18 21:31pm]

Cavs miss Uncle Drew.

Even if they miraculously come back to win this series, they're not winning the next one. Defensively, they're lost.

How about them Sixers! Today's game was a heavyweight fight. Bad blood in this series

Eastern Conference Playoffs, 1st Round

Game 4

Philadelphia 76ers 106 Miami Heat 102

The Miami Heat knew if they had any chance of evening this series, they had to play much better defense and hold the Sixers big stars Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons at bay while also shutting down their supporting cast. The Heat came out blistering, forcing the Sixers into 27 turnovers, holding them to 6 for 31 shooting from behind the 3-point line, and getting another herculean performance from Dwyane Wade, who led all acorers in this game with 25 points. Miami led by 12 points late in the third quarter.

But then Philly went on a 19-2 run into the fourth quarter to give themselves a seven point lead. From that point it became battle of wills between the aged superstar of Dwyane Wade and the young stud of Ben Simmons. Simmons had a monster game, finshing with a triple double of 17 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists, and four steals. Some of those assists down the stretch went to J.J. Redick, one of the few veterans on the Sixers squad who led them with 24 points. Joel Embiid had another strong game, scoring 14 points, grabbing 10 rebounds, and blocking five shots. Dario Saric added 11 points for Philly while Robert Covington, Ersan Ilysova, and Marco Belinelli each added 10 points. Wade would hit some huge shots in the closing minutes, reducing the Sixers lead to one point a couple of times but they could not get any closer.

Goran Dragic scored 20 points for Miami while Hassan Whiteside finally broke out in this series, scoring 13 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. James Johnson added 15 points, eight rebounds, and five assists while Josh Richardson added 10 points, seven assists, seven steals, and five rebounds. Despite this spirited effort from the Heat, they find themselves on the brink of elimination.

Philadelphia leads series 3-1.

Western Conference Playoffs, 1st Round

Game 4

Portland Trail Blazers 123 New Orleans Pelicans 131

The New Orleans Pelicans came into this game with a golden opportunity to close out this series and advance to the Western Conference semifinals for only the second time since the NBA returned a franchise to the Big Easy 16 years ago. But the Portland Trail Blazers refused to go away quietly.

In fact, the Blazers and Pelicans would play at a torrid and sometimes testy pace, with a few skirmishes between players leading to flagrant and technical fouls on both sides. The game went back and forth in the first half with the Pelicans taking a small lead into the half. But New Orleans would go on a run to close out the third quarter with a 13 point lead.

But Portland refused to go away, going on a 15-4 run to cut New Orleans' lead to two points with nine minutes remaining in the game. But then Anthony Davis took over, dominating the boards and the paint to finish with a franchise playoff record 47 points while also grabbing 11 rebounds and blocking three shots. Jrue Holiday also had a monster game, scoring 41 points including a key jumpshot down the stretch that put the Pelicans up by six points with 40 seconds remaining. Rajon Rondo was also huge, dishing out 16 assists while also scoring seven points and grabbing seven rebounds. E'Twaun Moore added 14 points while Nikola Mirotic added 10 points and 11 rebounds.

C.J. McCollum led the Blazers with 38 points while Al-Faroq Aminu added 27 points and six rebounds. Damian Lillard added 19 points while Jusuf Nurkic added 18 points and 11 rebounds before fouling out late in the fourth quarter. Evan Turner added 15 points, but it wasn't enough to stop the sweep of this series by the Pelicans. New Orleans now awaits the winner of the Warriors-Spurs series.

New Orleans wins series 4-0.

Western Conference Playoffs, 1st Round

Game 3

Houston Rockets 105 Minnesota Timberwolves 121

The Minnesota Timberwolves found themselves down 0-2 coming into this game, and while some of that was due to the play of likely MVP James Harden, a lot of that was due to the disappointing play of Karl-Anthony Towns who only managed to score a total of 13 points in the first two games and was a non-factor on the court. If the Wolves were ever going to get back into this series, Towns and the rest of the team would have to step up.

And tonight they would do that. The Wolves came out of fire, and though Hosuton woud come back late in the first quarter to take the lead, Minnesota would surge ahead by 11 points midway through the second quarter. Houston would hit four 3-pointers to cut the Wolves's lead to one with about three minutes remaining in the first half, and also around that time the Minnestota fans nearly had their hearts burst out of their chests when Jimmy Butler went down with a twisted ankle.

But Butler would gut it out, and he exploded in the second half along with Karl-Anthony Towns and the rest of the team. Jimmy Butler would hit four 3-pointers en route to 28 points as the Wolves surged past the Rockets. Karl-Anthony Towns scored 18 points while also grabbing 16 rebounds. Jeff Teague scored 23 points while also dishing out eight assists, Andrew Wiggins added 18 points, and Derrick Rose provided a huge spark off the bench, scoring 17 points.

James Harden led the Rockets with 29 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists. Chris Paul scored 17 points and dished out eight assists but was in foul trouble most of this game and fouled out in the fourth quarter. Eric Gordon added 15 points for Houston but shot just 5 for 16 from the floor. Ryan Anderson added 12 points while Gerald Green added 10 points off the bench.

Houston leads series 2-1.

Western Conference Playoffs, 1st Round

Game 3

Oklahoma City Thunder 102 Utah Jazz 115

The Utah Jazz shocked a lot of people in game 2 by shutting down the torrid offensive play of Paul George and Russell Westbrook, and they had a golden opportunity to take control of this series on their home court. But OKC knew they could take back this series by replicating their play from game 1 of this series, which was with timely shooting and outhustling the Jazz on the boards and in the paint.

Early on, OKC would control the game, leading by eight points after the first quarter and by as much as 12 points midway through the second quarter. But Steven Adams picked up his third foul at that point, and that opened up the game for Ricky Rubio and the Jazz to take over. Rubio would spark a comeback in that quarter and the Jazz would never look back after that. Rubio finished with a triple double for Utah, scoring 26 points, grabbing 11 rebounds, and dishing out 10 assists. Donovan Mitchell scored 22 points and grabbed 11 rebounds while Rudy Gobert added 18 points and 12 rebounds and Joe Ingles added 21 points. Paul George led the Thunder with 23 points while Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony and Raymond Felton each added 14 points with Westbrook falling just short of a triple double, adding 11 rebounds and nine assists.

Utah leads series 2-1.

Eastern Conference Playoffs, 1st Round

Game 4

Boston Celtics 102 Milwaukee Bucks 104

The Milwaukee Bucks took control in game 3 of this series, and for most of this game it looked like a repeat of that game, but it nearly ended in disaster. It would take a huge tip-in from their star Giannis Antetokounmpo to save the day.

Early on the Bucks dominated the Celtics, leading by as much as 20 points a couple of times in this game, and it looked at though they would once again cruise to an easy victory. But the Celtics came storming back in the fourth quarter, erasing a 20 point deficit to take a one point lead with 52 seconds reminaing in the game.

But after a miss by the Bucks, Boston sped down the court to attempt to extend their lead, but the pass in the paint was stolen by Eric Bledsoe, who then dribbled down court and passed to Malcolm Brogdon in the corner, who hit a huge 3-pointer to take a two point lead with 33 seconds remaining. After Al Horford was fouled and made two free throws to tie the game, Malcolm Brogdon drove to the basket to make the go-ahead layup, but it missed off the rim. However, Giannis Antetokounmpo was there to tip in the rebound and put Milwaukee up by two with five seconds remaining. Marcus Morris atempted to tie the game with a 14 foot jumper at the buzzer, but it missed, and the Bucks held on for the victory.

Giannis Antetokounmpo led Milwaukee with 27 points, seven rebounds and five assists while Khris Middleton added 23 points and six rebounds. Jabari Parker once again had a solid game, scoring 16 points and grabbing seven rebounds. Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 34 points and eight rebounds while Jayson Tatum added 21 points and Al Horford and Marcus Morris each added 13 points.

Series tied at 2-2.

Western Conference Playoffs, 1st Round

Game 4

Golden State Warriors 90 San Antonio Spurs 103

The San Antonio Spurs faced early elimination in this game, and for Manu Ginobli this could have been his final game in an NBA uniform. Gregg Popovich again missed this game due to the death of his wife, and Ettore Messina stepped in as interim coach for this game. Though he never coached as a head coach in the NBA prior to this series, he coached Manu Ginobili when they were both at Virtus Bologna in the Italian Basketball League in 2000-02. And today's game was a turn-back-the-clock moment for both of them.

The Spurs came out with a lot of energy, dominating both sides of the ball early and holding the Warriors to just under 38% shooting from the floor. Mani Ginobili came off the bench, and each time he came into the game the crowd, sensing this could be hs final game at home, gave him thunderous applause. In fact, some of the members of his national basketball team from Argentina were at this game. The Spurs led by as much as 17 points in the third quarter. But Golden State went on a 13-5 run beginning two minutes into the fourth quarter to pull within two points with six minutes remaining in the game. However, Ginobili would come up huge down the stretch, making three shots including two 3-pointers and playing turnover-free basketball as the Spurs pulled away for the victory. Ginobili finished with 16 points and five assists while LaMarcus Aldridge led the Spurs with 22 points and 10 rebounds. Rudy Gay added 14 points and seven rebounds. Kevin Durant led the Warriors with 34 points and 13 rebounds, but the rest of the team struggled, with Klay Thompson scoring just 12 points on 4 for 16 shooting from the floor. Shawn Livingston added 10 points off the bench while Draymond Green scored just nine points on 4 for 14 shooting from the floor, though he nearly had a triple double, grabbing 18 rebounds and dishing out nine assists.

As for whether Manu Ginobili will retire after this season, he said he will be in no rush to make a decision, and he will wait until the season has long ended before he decides to return or call it quits.

Golden State leads series 3-1.

Eastern Conference Playoffs, 1st Round

Game 4

Toronto Raptors 98 Washington Wizards 106

The Washington Wizards took game 3 from the Raptors due to the inspired play of their backcourt of John Wall and Bradley Beal, and they would figure to be huge in this game as well. But early on it was Tornonto that came out with intensity, leading by eight points after the first quarter, by as much as 12 in the second quarter, and by as much as 14 in the third. Bradley Beal got into foul trouble early on, but that wouldn't stop him from driving to the bucket as he led the combeack for the Wizards and finished with 31 points.

Beal would bring Washington back to tie the game at 92 with six minutes remaining, but he fouled out after colliding with DeMar DeRozan for a loose ball. The Raptors took a two point lead after that play, but then John Wall would take over, scoring on a goal-tending layup and dishing of to Markieff Morris for a layup that would put the Wizards up for good. Wall finished with 27 points, 14 assists, six rebounds, and three steals while Marcin Gortat and Otto Porter Jr. each added 12 points and six rebounds. DeMar DeRozan led Toronto with 35 points while Kyle Lowry added 19 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. Jonas Valanciunas was held to just 11 points after gettng into early foul trouble.

Series tied at 2-2.

Eastern Conference Playoffs, 1st Round

Game 4

Cleveland Cavaliers 104 Indiana Pacers 100

The Cleveland Cavaliers stormed out of the gate in game 3 only to collapse down the stretch, and they could not afford to lose this game. Once again, the Cavs came out strong, with Lebron James leading the way and carrying the team on his back to a 16 point lead midway through the second quarter.

But once again, the Indiana Pacers would claw their way back into this game, led by Domanta Sabonis, who led the Pacers with 19 points and brought them all they way back to take the lead with just under 11 minutes remaining in the game. From then on it was a back and forth and sometimes testy affair, as Lebron James was called for a technical foul after he was tied up with Lance Stephenson to force a jump ball. Indiana led by two with 4:28 remaining in the game.

But then Lebron James and Kyle Korver took over. Lebron made a driving layup down the stretch while also dishing out to Korver from behind the arc as he hit two key 3-pointers to put the Cavs up for good. Lebron James finished with 32 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists. Kyle Korver finished with 18 points while J.R. Smith and Jordan Clarkson each added 12 points. Victor Oladipo finished with 17 points for the Pacers but struggled from the field, shooting just 5 for 20 from the floor. Myles Turner also scored 17 points while Thaddeus Young added 12 points and 16 rebounds, Darren Collison also added 12 points, Lance Stephenson added 11 points, and Bojan Bogdanovic added 10 points.

Series tied at 2-2.

728huey said:

Eastern Conference Playoffs, 1st Round

Game 4

Toronto Raptors 98 Washington Wizards 106

The Washington Wizards took game 3 from the Raptors due to the inspired play of their backcourt of John Wall and Bradley Beal, and they would figure to be huge in this game as well. But early on it was Tornonto that came out with intensity, leading by eight points after the first quarter, by as much as 12 in the second quarter, and by as much as 14 in the third. Bradley Beal got into foul trouble early on, but that wouldn't stop him from driving to the bucket as he led the combeack for the Wizards and finished with 31 points.

Beal would bring Washington back to tie the game at 92 with six minutes remaining, but he fouled out after colliding with DeMar DeRozan for a loose ball. The Raptors took a two point lead after that play, but then John Wall would take over, scoring on a goal-tending layup and dishing of to Markieff Morris for a layup that would put the Wizards up for good. Wall finished with 27 points, 14 assists, six rebounds, and three steals while Marcin Gortat and Otto Porter Jr. each added 12 points and six rebounds. DeMar DeRozan led Toronto with 35 points while Kyle Lowry added 19 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. Jonas Valanciunas was held to just 11 points after gettng into early foul trouble.

Series tied at 2-2.

Damn, I am so pissed off.

728huey said:

Eastern Conference Playoffs, 1st Round

Game 4

Cleveland Cavaliers 104 Indiana Pacers 100

The Cleveland Cavaliers stormed out of the gate in game 3 only to collapse down the stretch, and they could not afford to lose this game. Once again, the Cavs came out strong, with Lebron James leading the way and carrying the team on his back to a 16 point lead midway through the second quarter.

But once again, the Indiana Pacers would claw their way back into this game, led by Domanta Sabonis, who led the Pacers with 19 points and brought them all they way back to take the lead with just under 11 minutes remaining in the game. From then on it was a back and forth and sometimes testy affair, as Lebron James was called for a technical foul after he was tied up with Lance Stephenson to force a jump ball. Indiana led by two with 4:28 remaining in the game.

But then Lebron James and Kyle Korver took over. Lebron made a driving layup down the stretch while also dishing out to Korver from behind the arc as he hit two key 3-pointers to put the Cavs up for good. Lebron James finished with 32 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists. Kyle Korver finished with 18 points while J.R. Smith and Jordan Clarkson each added 12 points. Victor Oladipo finished with 17 points for the Pacers but struggled from the field, shooting just 5 for 20 from the floor. Myles Turner also scored 17 points while Thaddeus Young added 12 points and 16 rebounds, Darren Collison also added 12 points, Lance Stephenson added 11 points, and Bojan Bogdanovic added 10 points.

Series tied at 2-2.

It felt like the LBJ 2.0 Era in CLE was on the edge in the last few minutes. But CLE doesn't seem to run an offense and their legs look slower and more tired than IND's. This is going to be a "hard 6" out for the Cavs. Luckily for them, TOR is going long as well.