This is the Hangover. We get basketball-wasted all the time. Yes, we recap the NBA every night in our own way.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images.)
Sorry a bit late.
#6 CHARLOTTE HORNETS 90 @ #3 MIAMI HEAT 88
EAST First Round – Game 5 – HORNETS lead series, 3-2
The Hornets guards were swarming (ha ha!) all over the place. The problem was that they couldn’t make a lot of shots even though they were able to get inside almost at will. In the meantime, Dwyane Wade had a tremendous game. While great, it had the Heat relying on him just a bit much. Still, Wade made consecutive jumpers to give the Heat an 88-85 lead.
Jeremy Lin, who has played really well this series, made a toe-on-the-line long jumper to cut the deficit to one with two minutes left. Empty possessions happened, including a missed J by Kemba Walker. But Courtney Lee got the offensive board… then got it back for a quick three to give the Hornets a two-point lead with 25 seconds left.
After Goran Dragic‘s three-pointer got blocked, Wade got the offensive board went up for a lay-up but appeared to get fouled when he went for a lay-up. No call was made and a few seconds later, the Hornets won their third straight game in the series.
Wade’s wife, Gabrielle Union, did more than Bring It On in her Twitter but the NBA ruled there was no foul. While I understand no calls are made, sometimes, look at this:
I just can't see Zeller as having planted and gone straight up. He's moving forward. Slowed it down. pic.twitter.com/XaOrrz5WZD
— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) April 28, 2016
It looked like Cody Zeller went for a chest bump; that is certainly not going “straight up.” Courtney Lee also got Wade on the arm. No call but referees are human, too, and make mistakes. And, well, they seem to make mistakes on reports, too. But no matter what we say, the Hornets are now up, 3-2.
Also, we remember Courtney Lee missing that game-winning lay-up in the NBA Finals in 2009. Second chances do happen. While this was a bit on a smaller scale in the NBA, I’m glad Lee got another shot to win a very important NBA game. Good for him.
BEHIND THE LINES
Marvin Williams (CHA): 17 pts, 8 rebs, 3 stls.
Hassan Whiteside (MIA): 11 pts, 12 rebs.
Dwyane Wade (MIA): 25 pts, 5 rebs.
#5 PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS 108 @ #4 LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS 98
WEST First Round – Game 5 – BLAZERS lead series, 3-2
The short-handed Clippers did their best to keep up with the energized Blazers. While the Blazers got an extra boost from Mo Harkless, the Clips scored the last nine points to get them deadlocked with Rip City at the end of three.
But the Blazers went on a 12-1 run that the Clippers couldn’t counter. Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum finished off the job with a barrage from outside and, because of these turn of events the last few days, the Blazers are suddenly one win away from the Western Conference Semifinals.
BEHIND THE LINES
C.J. McCollum (POR): 27 pts.
Damian Lillard (POR): 22 pts, 5 assts, 3 stls.
Mason Plumlee (POR): 10 pts, 15 rebs.
Maurice Harkless (POR): 19 pts, 10 rebs.
J.J. Redick (LAC): 19 pts.
DeAndre Jordan (LAC): 16 pts, 17 rebs, 3 blks.
#8 HOUSTON ROCKETS 81 @ #1 GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS 114
WEST First Round – Game 5 – WARRIORS WIN series, 4-1
The score doesn’t even need any explanation. Consecutive three-pointers started the scoring for G. State and before we knew it, the Rockets were nothing but a tiny grain of sand in the rear view mirror. The performance was embarrassing by Houston and they seemed in a hurry to go on vacation.
The Warriors are in the Western Conference Semifinals even though they won’t have Stephen Curry for 10 days or more. This might as well have been a sweep on the Rockets and now all of our eyes hurt because we got to see that team play for one more game than necessary.
BEHIND THE LINES
Klay Thompson (GS): 27 pts (7/11 3FG).
James Harden (HOU): 35 pts, 6 rebs, 6 assts.
Dwight Howard (HOU): 8 pts, 21 rebs.
WATCH THIS PLAY
Dwyane Wade can STILL do this.
(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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