NBA Playoff Recap; Are Upsets in the Making and Sleepers Ready to Strike?
Chicago vs Indiana
Is it just me, or do the Chicago Bulls really need to step up and start playing better? Derrick Rose is amazing, but can Derrick Rose beat a team 5 on 1? I don't think so.
He did it Saturday.
Rose scored 39 and was huge in Chicago rallying from down 12 to beat Indiana and take a 1-0 series lead. Luol Deng and Joakim Noah helped Rose by putting up a double-double and Kyle Korver hit a tiebreaking 3 with under 1 minute left.
Chicago wasn't allowing many inside shots, but Indiana wasn't being pressured into taking terrible shots. Instead, they started drilling outside shots and the Pacers built up a lead. Chicago wasn't playing smart.
Chicago was able to stay in the game during the first half, with Kyle Korver finding the net on a couple threes, Kurt Thomas scored a couple baskets, Derrick Rose hit his free throws, and the Bulls stayed in the game.
In the third quarter, no one other than Derrick Rose and Luol Deng scored for 9:33. Deng hit some jumpers, Rose hit free throws and scored on drives to the hoop, and he made 19 of his 21 foul shots.
Kurt Thomas opened up the fourth with a jumper, but Danny Granger extended the Pacer lead to 9. Luol Deng and Kyle Korver boosted Chicago with a pair of 3's, and the Bulls were back in the game. They started to execute their defensive plan a little better, but they still trailed by 10 with under 3:30 left.
The Bulls finally got the hang of their defensive plan, and it was just in the nick of time. Joakim Noah scored back-to-back buckets to make it a 4 point game, and after Indiana extended the lead to 5, Rose took over.
First, he took the ball to the rack down the middle, made a basket and drew a foul. After drilling the free throw, Rose scored another improbable basket to tie the game. With 48 seconds left, he finished it off with another drive to the hole, and a kick out to Kyle Korver.
Korver put up a 3, and the ball hit the back rim and dropped through the hoop. The Bulls had their first lead, and with 14 seconds left, 2 free throws from Rose put the game away and gave Chicago the momentum they needed.
Portland at Dallas (brief)
Brandon Roy was asked to step up for the Portland Trailblazers. He tried, but I guess he just couldn't do anything in the 26 minutes he had. Is he past his prime? Looks like it.
Dirk scored 28, Jason Kidd added 24 to Dallas' side and Dallas beat Portland 89-81 to take a 1-0 series lead on the Trailblazers. Kidd nailed 6 threes and Dirk made a huge one late to swing the momentum in favor of Dallas.
The game was pretty even for the first 18:40, but the Mavs teamed up, forced bad shots and took a big lead. But Portland got back with the efforts of LaMarcus Aldridge and Gerald Wallace, who helped Portland take a 72-66 lead late.
A fadeaway from Kidd and 2 foul shots from Dirk cut the deficit to 2, and 2 more free throws from Nowitzki tied the game. After Portland went up 2, the momentum swung with one shot.
Dirk drained a 3 and drained the life out of the Blazers with that same shot, as Dirk, Jason Kidd and Jason Terry helped finish the game. With the score 82-78 in favor of Dallas, Kidd stepped up and took a 3. It went in, and Dallas had the game in their pocket.
Upset pick: Atlanta; Dwight Howard scored 46 and grabbed 19 rebounds. Jameer Nelson scored 27. How often do you see Orlando losing when this happens? Maybe 1 in a 100 times. Well, bad luck struck the Magic.
Joe Johnson scored 25, Jamal Crawford added 23 and Atlanta beat Orlando 103-93 to take a 1-0 series lead on the team that ousted them in the most lopsided series in playoff history.
Is it just me, or do the Chicago Bulls really need to step up and start playing better? Derrick Rose is amazing, but can Derrick Rose beat a team 5 on 1? I don't think so.
He did it Saturday.
Rose scored 39 and was huge in Chicago rallying from down 12 to beat Indiana and take a 1-0 series lead. Luol Deng and Joakim Noah helped Rose by putting up a double-double and Kyle Korver hit a tiebreaking 3 with under 1 minute left.
Chicago wasn't allowing many inside shots, but Indiana wasn't being pressured into taking terrible shots. Instead, they started drilling outside shots and the Pacers built up a lead. Chicago wasn't playing smart.
Chicago was able to stay in the game during the first half, with Kyle Korver finding the net on a couple threes, Kurt Thomas scored a couple baskets, Derrick Rose hit his free throws, and the Bulls stayed in the game.
In the third quarter, no one other than Derrick Rose and Luol Deng scored for 9:33. Deng hit some jumpers, Rose hit free throws and scored on drives to the hoop, and he made 19 of his 21 foul shots.
Kurt Thomas opened up the fourth with a jumper, but Danny Granger extended the Pacer lead to 9. Luol Deng and Kyle Korver boosted Chicago with a pair of 3's, and the Bulls were back in the game. They started to execute their defensive plan a little better, but they still trailed by 10 with under 3:30 left.
The Bulls finally got the hang of their defensive plan, and it was just in the nick of time. Joakim Noah scored back-to-back buckets to make it a 4 point game, and after Indiana extended the lead to 5, Rose took over.
First, he took the ball to the rack down the middle, made a basket and drew a foul. After drilling the free throw, Rose scored another improbable basket to tie the game. With 48 seconds left, he finished it off with another drive to the hole, and a kick out to Kyle Korver.
Korver put up a 3, and the ball hit the back rim and dropped through the hoop. The Bulls had their first lead, and with 14 seconds left, 2 free throws from Rose put the game away and gave Chicago the momentum they needed.
Portland at Dallas (brief)
Brandon Roy was asked to step up for the Portland Trailblazers. He tried, but I guess he just couldn't do anything in the 26 minutes he had. Is he past his prime? Looks like it.
Dirk scored 28, Jason Kidd added 24 to Dallas' side and Dallas beat Portland 89-81 to take a 1-0 series lead on the Trailblazers. Kidd nailed 6 threes and Dirk made a huge one late to swing the momentum in favor of Dallas.
The game was pretty even for the first 18:40, but the Mavs teamed up, forced bad shots and took a big lead. But Portland got back with the efforts of LaMarcus Aldridge and Gerald Wallace, who helped Portland take a 72-66 lead late.
A fadeaway from Kidd and 2 foul shots from Dirk cut the deficit to 2, and 2 more free throws from Nowitzki tied the game. After Portland went up 2, the momentum swung with one shot.
Dirk drained a 3 and drained the life out of the Blazers with that same shot, as Dirk, Jason Kidd and Jason Terry helped finish the game. With the score 82-78 in favor of Dallas, Kidd stepped up and took a 3. It went in, and Dallas had the game in their pocket.
Upset pick: Atlanta; Dwight Howard scored 46 and grabbed 19 rebounds. Jameer Nelson scored 27. How often do you see Orlando losing when this happens? Maybe 1 in a 100 times. Well, bad luck struck the Magic.
Joe Johnson scored 25, Jamal Crawford added 23 and Atlanta beat Orlando 103-93 to take a 1-0 series lead on the team that ousted them in the most lopsided series in playoff history.
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