This is the Hangover. We get basketball-wasted all the time. Yes, we recap the NBA every night in our own way.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Steve Dyke/Getty Images.)
#2 TORONTO RAPTORS 83 @ #7 INDIANA PACERS 101
EAST First Round – Game 6 – Series is TIED, 3-3
And it was back to what the Raptors fans feared. We thought DeMar DeRozan finally snapped out of his funk but Game 5 seemed like more of an aberration than anything. Even with the poor shooting by the Canadian stars, the Raptors still led by four.
That lead would disappear in the third. And it became a total team effort by Indy as they went on an 18-0 run starting from the end of the third. The Raptors were stuck at 64… 64… NINTENDO SIXTY-FOOOOOUUUUURRRRR!!! for over six minutes of game time. And now we’re going back to Canada for Game 7 to finish the series.
I feel like we’ve been here before for the Raptors. I am not sure if that’s a good omen.
BEHIND THE LINES
Paul George (IND): 21 pts, 11 rebs, 6 assts.
Myles Turner (IND): 15 pts, 9 rebs, 4 blks.
Cory Joseph (TOR): 15 pts.
Kyle Lowry (TOR): 10 pts, 5 rebs, 10 assts.
DeMarre Carroll (TOR): 15 pts.
#3 MIAMI HEAT 97 @ #6 CHARLOTTE HORNETS 90
EAST First Round – Game 6 – Series is TIED, 3-3
The Hornets had a golden opporunity. Close the series in their loud home court and advance to the second round for the first time in 14 years.
But it was tougher than expected. The Heat were able to go through the Hornets’ defenses. Miami made shots this time around and they were able to control the glass (46-31). Heat led by 13 shortly before the first half ended.
Kemba Walker (who had a hell of a scoring explosion) and Al Jefferson took over the offense late and they were able to cut the deficit to two. But Dwyane Wade messed up the Hornets like his parents messed up his first name. He made three huge buckets (including two three-pointers… and he hadn’t made a three since DECEMBER) and it was enough to make that Hornets superfan that looked like a Cobra Kai reject upset.
The series is going back to Miami for a decisive Game 7.
BEHIND THE LINES
Dwyane Wade (MIA): 23 pts, 6 rebs, 3 blks.
Kemba Walker (CHA): 37 pts, 5 assts.
#4 LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS 103 @ #5 PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS 106
WEST First Round – Game 6 – BLAZERS WIN series, 4-2
This was a signature game for one Austin Rivers… but it wasn’t enough. He received a devastating elbow to the face from Al-Farouq Aminu. Austin would return in the second quarter (11 stitches!) despite his left eye being basically shut.
The Blazers couldn’t get away from the scrappy Clippers even when they made a bunch of threes to start the second half. Austin Rivers would score 14 points in the third quarter to help give Los Angeles a two-point lead at the end of three. Portland would eventually take advantage of a tired and undermanned Clippers team but L.A. still persevered and tied the game at 103 after two Jamal Crawford free throws.
After Mason Plumlee made two foul shots of his own, Crawford couldn’t convert off a lay-up. Plumlee split his foul shots to give the Clippers one last chance with 1.5 seconds left but, with no timeouts, Austin Rivers was forced to fling from 40 feet. It fell short and the Blazers continue their cinderella season.
Austin Rivers won the respect from a lot of NBA fans that game… but only one team can advance. We must also give a lot of respect to the Portland TrailBlazers, who most people tabbed to be one of the worst teams in the league. They’re now in the final eight after losing four-fifths of their starting line-up from last season. That is incredible.
BEHIND THE LINES
Damian Lillard (POR): 28 pts, 5 rebs, 7 assts.
C.J. McCollum (POR): 20 pts.
DeAndre Jordan (LAC): 15 pts, 20 rebs.
Jamal Crawford (LAC): 32 pts, 3 stls.
Austin Rivers (LAC): 21 pts, 6 rebs, 8 assts.
WATCH THIS PLAY
Rodney Stuckey got all of us, especially Cory Joseph, with this excellent fake. Great pass to Myles Turner afterwards.
(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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