Menu

Celtics-Sixers series

NBA Playoffs: Miami Wraps It Up On The Road

, , , , ,

Dwayne Wade was amazing last night in Game 6 of the Miami-Indiana series in the Eastern Conference semi-finals. LeBron James was good, while Danny Granger and Roy Hibbert were so-so. These themes, commonly struck in TheSportsNotebook’s playoff commentary on this series, were very much in evidence last night. But they aren’t the reason Miami won 103-95 and clinched a spot in the conference finals. Miami’s advancing because they took care of the ball and Indiana didn’t, with the final turnover numbers being 20 for the Pacers and 9 for the Heat. Offensive execution like that ends seasons and that’s what happened to Indiana last night.

NBA Playoffs: Celtics Go Cold At Chance To Clinch

, , , , ,

When I sat down to watch Game 6 of the Boston-Philadelphia series in the NBA’s Eastern Conference semi-finals, if you’d have told me that Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett would each have 20-plus points and 10-plus rebounds, I’d have figured the Celts were in good shape, and could fit enough offense around them. If you told me that Boston would win the rebounding battle 48-37, I’d have figured the series was all but over. Both of those things happened, but the 76ers clamped down on the defensive end, the Celtics shot a miserable 33 percent from the floor and Philly got a survival win, 83-75 and set up a decisive seventh game on Saturday.

NBA Playoffs: Miami Turns Up The Defensive Heat

, , , , ,

The series between the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers turned ugly in more ways than one. Indiana felt Miami resorted to cheap shots, including one that sidelined power forward David West in the second half, and the Pacers themselves played some flat-out ugly basketball, turning in a performance that on less than authority than team president Larry Bird called “S-O-F-T” and Miami delivered a resounding 115-83 win to take a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semi-final series.

NBA Playoffs: Oklahoma City Closes Out Lakers

, , , , ,

The Los Angeles Lakers are going home early for the second straight year, as the Oklahoma City Thunder rolled to a 106-90 win and clinched the NBA’s Western Conference semi-final in five games. The Lakers have lost in the second round two straight years, and gone 1-8 in those games. The Thunder are in the conference finals for the second consecutive year. Can anyone spell “Changing Of The Guard In The West?” In the meantime, the Boston Celtics showed they aren’t quite ready for a Changing Of The Guard In The Atlantic Half Of The East—at least not yet. The Celtics put together a strong second half and beat the Philadelphia 76ers 101-85 and took a 3-2 series lead. TheSportsNotebook recaps both games and looks ahead to tonight…

NBA Playoffs: Sixers & Lakers Win Survival Tests

, , , , ,

The Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers each faced virtual must-win spots on their home floors—in both cases a loss would have moved them to within a game of elimination with two more road dates ahead of them, in Boston and Oklahoma City respectively. But the Sixers and Lakers got it done and kept their conference semi-finals series alive. TheSportsNotebook recaps both games and looks ahead to Saturday’s doubleheader…

NBA Playoffs: Miami Reeling, San Antoino Cruising

, , , , ,

The Miami Heat are officially in serious trouble—not getting a serious challenge—but trouble, as in can lose this series to the Indiana Pacers after a blowout defeat last night left the Pacers up 2-1 in the series. And one team that’s not in serious trouble is San Antonio, who laid waste to the LA Clippers to defend their home floor and take a 2-zip series lead. TheSportsNotebook recaps the games and looks ahead to a playoff doubleheader on Friday…

NBA Playoffs: The Thunder Show Championship Mettle

, , , , ,

The Oklahoma City Thunder showed why they may be morphing into a championship team in front of our very eyes. The Boston Celtics showed the stuff that once helped them win a championship, as both teams won last night in the NBA playoffs. OkC successfully defended its homecourt against the LA Lakers to grab a 2-0 series lead, while the Celtics reclaimed homecourt, by beating Philadelphia on the road in Game 3 and going up 2-1. TheSportsNotebook recaps both games and looks ahead to tonight’s doubleheader…

NBA 2nd Round Preview: Boston-Philadelphia

, , , , ,

The second round of the NBA playoffs opens tonight when Boston hosts Philadelphia in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semi-finals. Both teams won their opening series without the benefit of homecourt advantage and closed the deal in last-second Game 6 finishes on Thursday. The Celtics and Sixers have had some epic playoff battles in their history, especially 1981 and 1982. TheSportsNotebook previews the 2012 edition of this rivalry…