This is the Hangover. We get basketball-wasted all the time. Yes, we recap the NBA every night in our own way.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Mark Humphrey/AP.)
#2 SAN ANTONIO SPURS 116 @ #7 MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES 95
WEST First Round – Game 4 – SPURS WIN series, 4-0
It was inevitable for the Grizzlies. Early in the second quarter, there was a power outage that took the lights out of the FedEx Forum. Unfortunately, that was a sign of things to come for the Grizzlies. A big third quarter pretty much paralyzed Memphis. A short while later, it was official: the Spurs were moving on to the second round and get some rest for the old Spurs legs.
Memphis coach Dave Joerger was very emotional in the postgame presser. He has every right to be proud of his team because they made the playoffs even though they had 28 different players all season. That’s tough to get any kind of chemistry going when you don’t have an idea who’s playing on any given night. Give credit to this team for hanging in there.
But unfortunately, only one team can advance. The Spurs are in the Western Conference Semifinals.
BEHIND THE LINES
Kawhi Leonard (SA): 21 pts, 7 rebs.
LaMarcus Aldridge (SA): 15 pts, 10 rebs.
Lance Stephenson (MEM): 26 pts.
#1 GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS 121 @ #8 HOUSTON ROCKETS 94
WEST First Round – Game 4 – WARRIORS lead series, 3-1
The Rockets in that first half looked like the happiest they have been all season. Dwight Howard was dunking everything in sight. And James Harden‘s stats looked like they meant something. He was even expertly playing the passing lanes on defense. And it looked like it was going to get worse for the Warriors as Stephen Curry, who just returned for this game, tweaked his knee after slipping on a wet spot. Curry didn’t feel good enough going back into the game in the second half and he tearfully went to the locker room, out of the game.
But the Warriors raged in the second half. Suddenly, Andre Iguodala, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green couldn’t miss from three. The Rockets that we saw in the first half disappeared; it was back to the team that looked like they would rather watch Sex and the City than play basketball. The lead kept growing and growing and the Warriors set a record for most three-pointers in a playoff game (21).
This is why those teams are respectively the #1 seed (even without the MVP) and the #8 seed. Get better, Steph.
BEHIND THE LINES
Klay Thompson (GS): 23 pts (7/11 3FG), 5 assts.
Andre Iguodala (GS): 22 pts, 5 rebs.
Dwight Howard (HOU): 19 pts, 15 rebs.
James Harden (HOU): 18 pts, 7 rebs, 10 assts, 7 stls.
#4 ATLANTA HAWKS 95 @ #5 BOSTON CELTICS 104 (OT)
EAST First Round – Game 4 – Series is TIED, 2-2
Paul Millsap was DOMINANT in this game. From the end of the first half to about five minutes into the third, Millsap scored 10 points in a huge 19-0 Hawks run. ATL led by 16 then. Millsap scored 45 overall.
But big shots by Jonas Jerebko, Marcus Smart, and Isaiah Thomas brought Boston back. However, Jeff Teague made back-to-back threes to give the Hawks a two-point lead with 20 seconds left. Isaiah made a quick drive to tie the game. Then in a baffling moment, Teague dribbled the clock out and held on to it until the final seconds. He just literally didn’t move from five feet behind the arc. Teague didn’t get a good shot off and this playoff game went to ovetime.
In overtime, the Celtics led by four inside a minute before Evan Turner (who also had an excellent game) found Isaiah for a corner three. That shot put away the Hawks and the series is now tied. Paul Millsap was held scoreless in OT. And Isaiah didn’t need to hit somebody to beat the Hawks. I kid! I kid!
So far, this has been the most competitive series in the playoffs. This feels like the Godfather series while the rest of the playoff series feels like Kate Hudson rom-coms.
Also, this is adorable.
BEHIND THE LINES
Isaiah Thomas (BOS): 28 pts, 6 assts.
Jonas Jerebko (BOS): 16 pts, 10 rebs.
Marcus Smart (BOS): 20 pts, 8 rebs, 5 assts.
Paul Millsap (ATL): 45 pts, 13 rebs, 4 blks.
#1 CLEVELAND CAVALIERS 100 @ #8 DETROIT PISTONS 98
EAST First Round – Game 4 – CAVALIERS WIN series, 4-0
(PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images.)
The Cavs went up by eight early in the fourth before the Pistons fought back. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope made a three with a minute left to cut the deficit to one before Kyrie Irving countered with a three of his own 20 seconds later. A Reggie Jackson dunk brought it back to two before Irving missed a three badly.
With 10 seconds left, the Pistons rebounded and went down the court. Jackson was seemingly hit several times but didn’t get a call as he put up a desperate three that was way off. There was no call and the Cavs advanced to the East semis.
Detroit has the potential to be a player in the Eastern Conference. They are well-coached and the core is young and talented. This was a huge learning experience for them and they didn’t back down against the defending East champs. But the Cavs are moving on to the Eastern Semifinals.
BEHIND THE LINES
Kyrie Irving (CLE): 31 pts, 5 assts.
LeBron James (CLE): 22 pts, 11 rebs, 6 assts.
Kevin Love (CLE): 11 pts (3/15 FG), 13 rebs.
Andre Drummond (DET): 17 pts, 11 rebs.
Reggie Jackson (DET): 13 pts, 12 assts.
Tobias Harris (DET): 23 pts, 13 rebs.
Marcus Morris (DET): 24 pts.
WATCH THIS PLAY
This was probably what really won it for the Cavs: Kyrie draining it from deep to beat the third quarter buzzer.
(VIDEO CREDIT: NBA.)
Follow Rey-Rey on Twitter at @TheNoLookPass for all tweets about the NBA and terrible pop music. Also, check out his podcast, Rey-Rey Is Fundamental.
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