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| Garnett posts 20 in win over Hawks | Wednesday 4/30, 10:46 PM CT |
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The Celtics used Game 5 to re-establish their intentions of dominating the Eastern Conference playoffs, putting a 110-85 whooping on the Atlanta Hawks. Forward Kevin Garnett put up 20 points for the cause, shooting 8-of-15 from the floor and 4-of-4 from the charity stripe, adding five rebounds, seven assists, and three blocked shots to the stat line.
Our View: The Celtics enjoyed a bounty of offense this evening with four of the five starters posting double-digit scoring totals, including 22 from Paul Pierce and 19 from Ray Allen. Garnett didn't need his best game to get the win, but even his "easy" approach is worthy of note. |
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| Pierce leads the way for Boston win | Wednesday 4/30, 10:38 PM CT |
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The Boston Celtics may be struggling to put their 1st-round opponent, the Atlanta Hawks, to bed, but tonight they sent a message with a 110-85 win over the Atlanta Hawks. Forward Paul Pierce served as the primary scoring machine for the Celts this evening, going 10-of-17 from the field to score 22 points, adding seven rebounds and six assists to the stat line.
Our View: Pierce was the focus of complaints and controversy coming into the game (as we reported earlier, accusations that a hand signal used by Pierce in the face of Atlanta center Al Horford might be gang related were reported by local papers), and he used that frustration to carry an attitude on the court and get the job done. |
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| J-Johnson and Hawks fall short in Game 5 | Wednesday 4/30, 10:33 PM CT |
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The Atlanta Hawks have lost, at least momentarily, their luster, taking a 110-85 loss in Game 5 of their 1st-round playoff series against the Boston Celtics. Atlanta guard Joe Johnson , as he has done all season long, continues to carry the load on offense, shooting 6-for-11 from the field, 2-of-4 from three-point range, and a perfect 7-of-7 from the charity stripe to score 21 points in the loss.
Our View: Johnson has been a consistent scoring force, but the Hawks simply couldn't keep up with the frantic pace set by the Celts. |
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| Hawks stand in support of Horford | Wednesday 4/30, 8:45 PM CT |
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With the league announcing Seattle's Kevin Durant as this season's Rookie of the Year, Atlanta Hawks center Al Horford is finding supportive voices from his coach and teammates who were more than happy to express their discontent over the decision, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Our View: "It's a travesty and it's not right," said coach Mike Woodson. "He (Horford) should have shared it, if not gotten it outright. And I don't want to hear about us not being on TV or anything like that. It doesn't matter. It's what this kid has done for this team. We haven't had a power forward/center come in our league and do what he's done (average a double-double) in I don't know how many year. I mean, come on, man." Horford tied for the 11th-overall ranking in the league in rebounds (9.7) and averaged 10.1 points per game. On the other hand, Durant averaged 20.3 points per game, though his teams failed to qualify for the playoffs. "You can't walk away from 20 a night," said Atlanta guard Marvin Williams. "But the difference to me is that you have one team in the playoffs and the other team watching the playoffs." |
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| James scores 34 but fails to push Cavs forward | Wednesday 4/30, 7:59 PM CT |
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The Cleveland Cavaliers fell one-shot short of securing their 1st-round playoff series against the Washington Wizards, that shot coming in the final second of play off the fingers of LeBron James and rimming out of the basket to give the Washington Wizards a hard-fought 88-87 victory to bring the series to 3-2 in favor of the Cavs. James was up to his usual production but failed to take full advantage of his opportunities, going just 8-of-21 from the field and 3-of-9 from the three-point line in his worst shooting performance of the series thus far. James did add 15-of-18 from the free-throw line to score 34 points on the evening, adding 10 rebounds, seven assists, and two blocked shots to the stat line.
Our View: That final shot was the heartbreaker in the loss, but the plethora of misses from the floor were the difference. |
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| Butler takes charge in Game 5 win | Wednesday 4/30, 7:49 PM CT |
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The Washington Wizards managed to save victory from the jaws of defeat this evening as Cleveland forward LeBron James watched his lane-driving finger roll rim out as the final seconds wound off the clock, giving the Wiz an 88-87 victory. The Wiz were led by forward Caron Butler , enjoying a magnificent evening in his best playoff performance to date. Butler shot 11-of-22 from the field, 4-of-8 from the three-point line, and 6-of-7 from the charity stripe to score 32 points, adding nine rebounds and five assists to the effort.
Our View: Butler has struggled in this series as tonight's performance is his first in the series with 20+ points. Tonight's win gives the Wiz hope, though the 3-2 series deficit will be challenging to overcome. |
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| Pierce denies gesture was gang related | Wednesday 4/30, 7:20 PM CT |
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The NBA fined Boston forward Paul Pierce $25,000 for what the league has defined as a "menacing gesture" during the team's Game 3 matchup against the Atlanta Hawks, and in response to reports from local papers, Pierce has told reporters the hand gesture was not gang related, according to the Associated Press.
Our View: Pierce flashed a hand gesture towards Atlanta forward Al Horford, holding up his right hand to form an "O" with his thumb and index finger while extending his other fingers. Boston GM Danny Ainge also addressed the situation, stating the symbol is a pregame ritual for Pierce and noting the three fingers represent "blood, sweat, and tears." Pierce noted his personally-organized charity group aimed at helping young urban teens avoid gang activities in Boston and stated he would never support such gestures in his life or those he chooses to associate with. "I am extremely proud of the work I have done through the foundation to provide positive influences and safe havens for inner city kids," Pierce said. Some may also remember Pierce was the target of a robbery and stabbing several years ago while walking the streets of Boston, a crime believed to be perpetuated by potential gang members. It is hard to imagine Pierce has forgotten and would now support such activities, but the press seems to have grabbed the story and run a bit crazy with it. |
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| Arenas done for the year | Wednesday 4/30, 5:49 PM CT |
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Gilbert Arenas has a pinched nerve in his knee, an injury that will most likely end his 2008 playoffs according to Cleveland.com. "If I don't play, the nerve gets activated. And if I play 32 minutes, I'm not recovering fast enough...Instead of me blocking the team from success, we just decided to go ahead and shut it down."
Our View: Arenas tried to soldier on, but the truth is, he just can't physically perform anywhere near to the standards needed to be a successful NBA player. Hopefully and off-season of rest will cure his ailing body. |
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| Hill might need surgery | Wednesday 4/30, 5:45 PM CT |
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Grant Hill may not just have a groin strain he may actually have a hernia that will need an operation to fix, according to the East Valley Tribune.
Our View: An MRI didn't confirm the tear, but a more thorough exam, and possibly some sort of arthroscopic surgery will be needed to determine the extent of his injury. |
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| Avery Johnson fired | Wednesday 4/30, 2:24 PM CT |
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The Mavericks have fired coach Avery Johnson, according to the AP. They fired him one day after being eliminated from the Western Conference playoffs. Johnson led the Mavericks to their first NBA Finals appearance in 2006 and coached them to the league’s best record the following season, and was the most successful Dallas coach in history. Owner Mark Cuban said, "It is never easy to relieve a coach of his duties, especially one of Avery’s caliber. He is a talented coach, and I want to thank him for his efforts over the last four years and what he has done for this franchise. We wish him well in the future."
Our View: Johnson is a great coach and will be scooped by another team before next season. |
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| Bargnani needs to improve | Wednesday 4/30, 12:39 PM CT |
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The Raptors front office and coaching staff is hoping Andrea Bargnani can turn into more of a complete player this offseason. The 22-year-old big man and former first overall pick has been one-dimensionl (jump shot) during his first two years. "If he doesn't work, it's not going to happen," Chris Bosh tells the Toronto Sun. "Some nights, if he doesn't shoot the ball well, he's not a factor. He has to develop the mentality to get down low. Because he's seven-feet. Get down low, get some easy baskets, block some shots, get some rebounds -- be a force in the game even if you're not making shots."
Our View: The Raptors were hoping they landed the next Dirk Nowitzki, but Bargnani has yet to show the same drive and intensity. A guy with his skills and size shouldn't average only 3.7 rebounds and shoot just 38.6 percent. He won't be a serious fantasy factor until someone lights a fire under him. |
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| Battier fights through pain | Wednesday 4/30, 12:26 PM CT |
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Shane Battier fought through foot and ankle soreness to log more than 37 minutes in Tuesday's win over the Jazz. "I really did not think (Battier) would play last game (with a sore foot and ankle)," head coach Rick Adelman admits to the Houston Chronicle. "When he says he's hurting, he's hurting. But he was able to get his treatment and was able to get warmed up and everything went well. That guy is incredible, game after game, the things that he does." Battier hit only one of his eight shots but did grab six boards and chip in two steals.
Our View: Battier brings much more to the table than his outside shot, and we don't expect him to rest while the the Rockets are fighting to stay alive. |
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| Howard party led to cancelled practice | Wednesday 4/30, 12:21 PM CT |
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Head coach Avery Johnson didn't simply cancel practice on Monday for no reason. He was angry that Josh Howard threw a birthday party on Sunday night after the Mavericks lost to the Hornets. Sources tell the Dallas Morning News that a few other players attended, but the paper does not list the names. Howard also drew ire this postseason when he talked about his marijuana habits and played poorly in the first round series.
Our View: In about two weeks, Howard has gone from being indispensable sidekick to having a questionable future in Dallas. We still like his fantasy future, but we now wonder if it may not come with another team. |
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| Kleiza to play in Olympics | Wednesday 4/30, 12:11 PM CT |
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Linas Kleiza has confirmed that he will play for Team Lithuania in the 2008 Summer Olympics, the Rocky Mountain News reports.
Our View: Kleiza, 23, showed some signs of turning into a fantasy asset this season, and a strong Olympics could further boost his stock. His path to playing time (and shots) is currently blocked on the Nuggets strong roster, though. |
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| Kerr denies D'Antoni dismissal | Wednesday 4/30, 12:08 PM CT |
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Suns general manager Steve Kerr has denied a Sports Illustrated report that head coach Mike D'Antoni is on the way out, the Arizona Republic notes. "There's no truth to that," Kerr says. "I asked Mike when the story came out and he denied it. Mike's our coach and has done a great job for four years. We'll get together soon and talk about where this team can go from here."
Our View: D'Antoni has two years remaining on his contract, not that such a thing would stop a front office from making a move. The Suns have been unable to get to the NBA Finals during D'Antoni's tenure, but they are consistently one of the top teams in the league. We imagine they'd take a step back if they installed a new coach. |
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| Durant to be named top rookie | Wednesday 4/30, 8:51 AM CT |
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Kevin Durant will be named the NBA Rookie of the Year, according to ESPN. He beat out other top nominee Al Horford of Atlanta. Durant led all rookies in scoring (20.3).
Our View: Durant scored 42 points in the final game of the regular season on April 16, and averaged 24.3 points over the month. |
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| Parker shows Phoenix the door | Wednesday 4/30, 12:02 AM CT |
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While forward Tim Duncan was the force of reckoning for the San Antonio Spurs this evening, taking the Game 5 win 92-87 to close the series at 4-1, it was guard Tony Parker that insured the points were on the board to take it. Parker shot 9-of-21 from the field and 13-of-16 from the free-throw line to score 31 points, adding eight assists to the cause.
Our View: Consider this: The Suns, as a team, converted just 20-of-37 free throws this evening while the Spurs, following Parker's lead, converted 24-of-30. Miss those freebies at the charity stripe and you fall. Parker proved those points valuable this evening, and the Suns proved it once more. |
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