Celtics confirm death of 12-time NBA champion KC Jones
New York, United States — KC Jones, a 12-time NBA champion as a player and coach and 1956 Olympic gold medalist, has died, his former club the Boston Celtics announced Friday. He was 88. Jones, who was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1989, captured 10 titles as a player, two more as a coach, […] The post Celtics confirm death of 12-time NBA champion KC Jones appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
A time to meditate
Sometimes I wonder how many people still care to remember that the purpose of Holy Week is to reenact, relive and participate in the passion of Jesus Christ. In Catholic churches, it is a time to commemorate and enact the suffering and death of Jesus through various observances and services of worship......»»
Sabalenka wins with heavy heart
World number two Aryna Sabalenka returned to the court for the first time since the death of her former boyfriend earlier this week and kept her emotions in check as she beat Spain’s Paula Badosa, 6-4 6-3 on Friday......»»
Canino reclaims solo lead in national women s chess tiff
After seven rounds, the six-time Asian Age Group titlist has reclaimed the solo lead by scoring his sixth win over reigning national junior girls champion Mhage Gerriahlou Sebastian......»»
Boston makes Miami feel heat
LOS ANGELES (AFP) — Boston poured in 16 three-pointers in a dominant 110-97 victory over the Miami Heat on Thursday that kept the Celtics alive in the National Basketball Association championship chase. For the second straight game, the Celtics fended off elimination, cutting the deficit in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals to 3-2 with the wire-to-wire triumph. Miami will get another chance to close it out when they host game six on Saturday. The Celtics will be trying to take one more step toward becoming the first NBA team to rally from a 3-0 deficit to win a best-of-seven playoff series. “The only thing that can stop us is us,” Celtics forward Jaylen Brown said in an on-court interview. Before a rapturous, raucous crowd at TD Garden in Boston, the Celtics looked every inch the favorites they were before the series started — before the upstart eighth-seeded Heat grabbed the first two games in Boston, then embarrassed the second seeds in game three. Four Celtics starters scored more than 20 points, with Derrick White leading the way with 24 on a night when he made six of eight attempts from three-point range. “Got some good looks and was able to knock them down, and just kind of rolled with it,” said White, who said the Heat’s defensive focus on Brown and fellow star wing Jayson Tatum gave him more room to operate. Marcus Smart added 23 and had five steals while Brown and Tatum scored 21 apiece. More importantly, the energetic Celtics harried the Heat into 16 turnovers that led to 27 Boston points. They had 17 second-chance points compared to Miami’s seven. “Tonight we were the tougher playing team,” Brown said. “We set the tone from start to finish.” Boston was locked in on both ends of the floor from the opening tip-off, roaring to a 23-7 lead in a matter of minutes. After Tatum was whistled for a technical foul with 8:43 in the first quarter, the Celtics responded with three consecutive three-pointers. Tatum scored 12 points in the first quarter and Brown took over with 12 in the second. Meanwhile, Heat talisman Jimmy Butler struggled to get going, scoring eight points in the first half and finishing with 14 — his lowest-scoring game of the playoffs. He sat out most of the fourth quarter. Duncan Robinson led the Heat with 18 points off the bench. Bam Adebayo scored 16 points but coughed up six turnovers. Kyle Lowry starting at point guard after Gabe Vincent was ruled out with a sprained ankle, scored five points with four turnovers. “We’ve just got to play better,” Butler said. “Start the game off better, on the starters, make it more difficult for them. “They are in a rhythm since the beginning of the game,” Butler added. “But we are always going to stay positive, knowing that we can and we will win this series. We’ll just have to close it out at home.” Butler said the Heat allowed their shooting struggles to affect their defensive intensity. “But that’s easily correctable,” he said. “You just have to come out and play harder from the jump.” The Heat, who won the NBA title in 2006, 2012 and 2013, still only need one more win to reach a seventh NBA Finals. Boston, whose 17 NBA titles are tied with the Los Angeles Lakers for the most in history, last won it all in 2008 and came up short in last season’s championship series against the Golden State Warriors. The winners of the series will play the Western Conference champion Denver Nuggets, who swept the Lakers in four games to reach the NBA Finals for the first time. White said the Celtics expect a formidable challenge in Miami on Saturday. “The crowd is going to be in it. It’s not going to be easy,” he said. “It’s going to take 48 minutes of battling, scratching, clawing, and we’ve got to find a way to win.” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra was unconcerned that two big defeats had demoralized his team. “Who cares about mood?” Spoelstra said. “We have a gnarly group. It’s a competitive series. You always expect things to be challenging in the conference finals.” The post Boston makes Miami feel heat appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Celtics pummel Heat to keep NBA title hopes alive
Boston poured in 16 three-pointers in a dominant 110-97 victory over the Miami Heat on Thursday that kept the Celtics alive in the NBA championship chase. For the second straight game, the Celtics fended off elimination, cutting the deficit in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals to 3-2 with the wire-to-wire triumph. Miami will get another chance to close it out when they host game six on Saturday. The Celtics will be trying to take one more step toward becoming the first NBA team to rally from a 3-0 deficit to win a best-of-seven playoff series. "The only thing that can stop us is us," Celtics forward Jaylen Brown said in an on-court interview. Before a rapturous, raucous crowd at TD Garden in Boston, the Celtics looked every inch the favorites they were before the series started -- before the upstart eighth-seeded Heat grabbed the first two games in Boston, then embarrassed the second seeds in game three. Four Celtics starters scored more than 20 points, with Derrick White leading the way with 24 on a night when he made six of eight attempts from three-point range. "Got some good looks and was able to knock them down, and just kind of rolled with it," said White, who said the Heat's defensive focus on Brown and fellow star wing Jayson Tatum gave him more room to operate. Marcus Smart added 23 and had five steals while Brown and Tatum scored 21 apiece. More importantly, the energetic Celtics harried the Heat into 16 turnovers that led to 27 Boston points. They had 17 second-chance points compared to Miami's seven. "Tonight we were the tougher playing team," Brown said. "We set the tone from start to finish." Boston was locked in on both ends of the floor from the opening tip-off, roaring to a 23-7 lead in a matter of minutes. After Tatum was whistled for a technical foul with 8:43 in the first quarter, the Celtics responded with three consecutive three-pointers. Tatum scored 12 points in the first quarter and Brown took over with 12 in the second. Meanwhile, Heat talisman Jimmy Butler struggled to get going, scoring eight points in the first half and finishing with 14 -- his lowest-scoring game of the playoffs. He sat out most of the fourth quarter. Duncan Robinson led the Heat with 18 points off the bench. Bam Adebayo scored 16 points but coughed up six turnovers. Kyle Lowry starting at point guard after Gabe Vincent was ruled out with a sprained ankle, scored five points with four turnovers. "We've just got to play better," Butler said. "Start the game off better, on the starters, make it more difficult for them. "They are in a rhythm since the beginning of the game," Butler added. "But we are always going to stay positive, knowing that we can and we will win this series. We'll just have to close it out at home." Butler said the Heat allowed their shooting struggles to affect their defensive intensity. "But that's easily correctable," he said. "You just have to come out and play harder from the jump." The Heat, who won the NBA title in 2006, 2012 and 2013, still only need one more win to reach a seventh NBA Finals. Boston, whose 17 NBA titles are tied with the Los Angeles Lakers for the most in history, last won it all in 2008 and came up short in last season's championship series against the Golden State Warriors. The winners of the series will play the Western Conference champion Denver Nuggets, who swept the Lakers in four games to reach the NBA Finals for the first time. White said the Celtics expect a formidable challenge in Miami on Saturday. "The crowd is going to be in it. It's not going to be easy," he said. "It's going to take 48 minutes of battling, scratching, clawing, and we've got to find a way to win." Heat coach Erik Spoelstra was unconcerned that two big defeats had demoralized his team. "Who cares about mood?" Spoelstra said. "We have a gnarly group. It's a competitive series. You always expect things to be challenging in the conference finals." The post Celtics pummel Heat to keep NBA title hopes alive appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Ex-Celtics coach Udoka hired to guide NBA Rockets: reports
Former Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka has agreed on a deal to be hired as coach of the NBA's Houston Rockets, according to multiple media reports on Monday. The Houston Chronicle and ESPN cited unnamed sources that said a deal had been struck for Udoka to take charge of a club that went 22-60 this past season, missing the playoffs for the third consecutive campaign. Udoka, considered a top contender for the vacant Toronto Raptors job, was suspended by the Celtics for the 2022-23 season last September for an improper workplace relationship with a subordinate. Celtics assistant coach Joe Mazzulla was made Boston's interim head coach until handed the position on a permanent basis in February. The Rockets spoke with league and Celtics officials about the matter before making the offer to Udoka, ESPN reported. Udoka, 45, played seven seasons in the NBA before retiring in 2011. He served as an assistant coach at San Antonio, Philadelphia and Brooklyn before being hired by the Celtics in June 2021. The Celtics went 51-31 last season and reached the NBA Finals, losing to the Golden State Warriors in Udoka's rookie head coaching campaign. Udoka knows Toronto Raptors president Masai Uriji but decided against seeking that job after the firing of Nick Nurse on Friday, ESPN reported, saying the Rockets sold Udoka on a young roster of talent, a huge amount of money to spend under the NBA salary cap and the team's high chance at winning next month's NBA Draft Lottery. Taking the top pick from the lottery would put the Rockets in position to select French big man Victor Wembanyama, seen as one of the top prospects since LeBron James. The club will be trying to avoid suffering a fourth straight losing campaign next season, a drought it hasn't suffered since beginning its existence with seven in a row from 1967-74. Udoka, who is of Nigerian and American descent, was an assistant coach on the 2014 San Antonio Spurs NBA championship club and on the staff of Spurs coach Gregg Popovich for the Tokyo Olympic champion US squad. The post Ex-Celtics coach Udoka hired to guide NBA Rockets: reports appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Young lifts Hawks over Celtics
Trae Young scored 32 points and Dejounte Murray added 25 as the hot-shooting Hawks beat the Boston Celtics 130-122 for their first win in their NBA first-round playoff series. The Celtics' two convincing victories had the Hawks on the ropes and returning home for two games in Atlanta knowing no NBA team has come back from 3-0 down to win a best-of-seven playoff series. The Hawks made sure they won't have to as Young shook off two sub-par performances with a stellar display. "I just needed to make the right plays," Young said. "Our whole team was making plays all night and it was up to me to go make the right one. It's not only to score, sometimes it's to get everybody involved. "So I'm just trying to make the right play and tonight I did." Young connected on 12 of 22 shots from the field, pulled down six rebounds and handed out nine assists. He also produced a pair of blocks as the Hawks out-hustled the second-seeded Celtics -- runners-up to the champion Golden State Warriors last year. Jayson Tatum scored 29 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for Boston. Marcus Smart added 24 and Jalen Brown had 15 for the Celtics, who drained 21 three-pointers but were out-rebounded 48-29. The Hawks had 23 second-chance points to Boston's nine and out-scored them 54-40 in the paint. They shot 67.4% from the field in the first half and shot 56% for the game overall, Boston managing only for short stretches in the second half to turn up the defensive volume. Atlanta will try to level the series when they host game four on Sunday. Elsewhere on Friday, Western Conference top seeds Denver tried to take a 3-0 stranglehold on their series when they visited the Minnesota Timberwolves. The New York Knicks hosted the Cleveland Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden after the teams split the first two games of their Eastern Conference series in Cleveland. The post Young lifts Hawks over Celtics appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Celtics’ Brogdon voted NBA sixth man
Boston Celtics guard Malcolm Brogdon was named NBA Sixth Man of the Year on Thursday as the league's top reserve. Brogdon, who was acquired in the offseason by the Eastern Conference champion Celtics, received 60 out of 100 first-place votes to edge New York Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley in voting for the award. "This is such an honor," Brogdon said in an interview with broadcaster TNT as the award was announced. "It's definitely been a transition for me, coming from Indiana to Boston. "But I'm with a great organization, I have great teammates, a great coaching staff." Brogdon became the second player to win both Sixth Man of the Year and Rookie of the Year, joining Mike Miller with that distinction. He was named Rookie of the Year in 2017. Before he was acquired by the Celtics Brogdon had started every game he played over the previous four seasons with the Indiana Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks. This season he came off the bench in all 67 games he played, but said that playing behind Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown "proven All-Stars and soon-to-be All-NBA guys, it's been a good fit for me." Brogdon averaged 14.9 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game to help Boston finish the regular season with the second-best record in the league behind the Bucks. The post Celtics’ Brogdon voted NBA sixth man appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Kings’ Brown unanimous NBA coach of the year
Sacramento's Mike Brown was named the NBA Coach of the Year on Wednesday, becoming the first unanimous winner of the award after guiding the Kings back to the playoffs. Brown also won the award in 2009 with the Cleveland Cavaliers, guiding a team that won 66 games as LeBron James was named the league's Most Valuable Player. He was sacked by the Cavs one year later, eventually landing briefly with the Los Angeles Lakers. In his first year at the helm in Sacramento he turned around a franchise whose 17-year playoff drought was the longest in NBA history and the longest active drought in major US pro sports. The 53-year-old received 100 out of 100 possible first-placed votes, a first in balloting for the award. Brown arrived in Sacramento after six seasons as an assistant to Steve Kerr with the Golden State Warriors -- just up the road in San Francisco. "These honors don't come around often, so you're very appreciative of them," Brown said during an interview on broadcaster TNT's programme announcing the award. "Inside The NBA" after being named the winner of the award. Long known for prioritizing defense, Brown developed the young Kings team into an offensive force. The Kings led the league in scoring with an average of 120.7 points per game in the regular season. They were second in field goal percentage at 49.4 and third in assists per game at 27.3 Their 48-34 record is an 18-game improvement on last season, when they finished 30-52. Now the Kings are up 2-0 in their first-round playoff series against the reigning champion Warriors after winning the first two games on their home floor. Brown claimed the award ahead of Oklahoma City Thunder coach Mark Daigneault, who led his rebuilding club to a 40-42 record and a play-in berth, and Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla. Mazzulla, at 34 the youngest active head coach in the NBA, led Boston to the second-best record in the NBA after he was thrust into the job days before training camp when Ime Udoka was abruptly suspended for violating team rules. The post Kings’ Brown unanimous NBA coach of the year appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Kings shame Warriors
WASHINGTON (AFP) — De’Aaron Fox scored 38 points and Malik Monk added 32 off the bench in leading the Sacramento Kings to a 126-123 victory over Golden State for their first National Basketball Association playoff triumph in 17 years. The Kings, who had not reached the post-season since 2006, seized a 1-0 lead over the defending champions in a Western Conference best-of-seven first round series that continues in Sacramento on Monday. In Eastern Conference playoff series openers on Saturday, the New York Knicks edged host Cleveland 101-97, Boston routed Atlanta 112-99 and Philadelphia beat Brooklyn 121-101. Fox made 13-of-27 shots in his playoff debut, 4-of-8 from 3-point range, and 8-of-12 free throws then after the victory pushed the button to send the Kings’ laser light — symbolic of a Kings victory — from the outside of the arena. Monk sank 8-of-13 from the floor and 2-of-4 from 3-point range plus all 14 of his free throws. He made two late free throws to create the final margin and Stephen Curry missed a final 3-point shot for the Warriors to force overtime. Reserve Trey Lyles added 16 points and NBA rebounds leader Domantas Sabonis had 12 points and 16 rebounds for Sacramento. “Our bench came in and they did a hell of a job tonight, especially Malik and Trey. They ignited us,” Fox said. “We knew we had to go out and be physical — try not to foul because this is probably the best free throw shooting team in the league — and get it done on the defensive end and we got some key stops.” Fox caught fire in the second half and Sacramento used a late 7-0 run for a 119-114 lead that put the hosts ahead to stay. “In the second half, I got into a rhythm, my teammates continued to hit me in my spot and I just did what they want me to do,” Fox said. Curry led Golden State with 30 points while Klay Thompson added 21. At Cleveland, Jalen Brunson scored 21 of his 27 points in the second half to lead New York’s victory while the Cavaliers were led by 38 points from Donovan Mitchell. A late Brunson miss was rebounded by New York’s Julius Randle, who had 19 points and 10 rebounds, and that set up two clinching Knicks free throws by Quentin Grimes. “They just kept fighting,” Brunson said. “We kept our composure. Made plays down the stretch, made a couple of huge stops. We just kept fighting, kept sticking together and stayed poised.” NBA scoring champion Joel Embiid had 26 points while NBA assists champion James Harden added 23 points and 13 assists in the Sixers’ romp. The host Sixers, who led the NBA in 3-point shooting percentage, sank a club playoff record 21 3-pointers in 43 attempts. “(That) was a good win for us,” Harden said. “We’ll be watching film. Game two is going to be the toughest game of the series for us. We’ll be ready to go.” Cameroonian star Embiid went 7-of-15 from the floor and 11-of-11 from the free throw line. Harden hit 7-of-13 from 3-point range and helped eight Sixers in all make 3-pointers. “Just finding ways to impact the game possession by possession,” said Harden, a former Nets backcourt star. “It’s the playoffs. Things don’t go the way you want as much as you want them to. You’ve got to keep pushing, keep fighting, and I’m happy we got a win.” Philadelphia made a club one-half playoff record of 13 3-pointers on the way to a 67-58 halftime edge. Brooklyn’s Mikal Bridges scored a game-high 30 points, but only seven in the second half. The Celtics ripped visiting Atlanta 112-99 behind 29 points and 12 rebounds from Jaylen Brown and 25 points and 11 rebounds from Jayson Tatum. Brown played with a wrapping on cut fingers and a protective mask he has had for two months due to a facial fracture. “Got to come out and be ready to go,” he said. “My team depends on me. My city depends on me. I don’t make no excuses. I come out and play ball.” The post Kings shame Warriors appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Sixers, Celtics cruise in NBA playoffs, Knicks edge Cavs
NBA scoring champion Embiid scored 26 points while NBA assists champion Harden added 23 points and 13 assists in the Sixers' 121-101 rout of visiting Brooklyn......»»
Embiid, Harden spark 76ers over Nets in NBA playoff opener
Joel Embiid scored 26 points and James Harden added 23 to lead the Philadelphia 76ers over the Brooklyn Nets 121-101 in an NBA first-round playoff series opener on Saturday. The host Sixers, who led the NBA in 3-point shooting percentage, sank a club playoff record 21 3-pointers in 43 attempts to seize a 1-0 lead in the Eastern Conference best-of-seven opening series, which continues Monday in Philadelphia. "(That) was a good win for us," Harden said. "We'll be watching film. Game two is going to be the toughest game of the series for us. We'll be ready to go." Also winning an East series opener were the Boston Celtics, who ripped Atlanta 112-99. Embiid, the NBA season-scoring leader with 33.1 points a game, was often double-teamed defensively by the Nets but effectively brought teammates into scoring positions. The Cameroonian 7-footer (2.13m) went 7-of-15 from the floor but was 11-of-11 from the freethrow line and contributed five rebounds, three assists, two blocked shots and a steal. NBA season assists leader Harden, who hit 7-of-13 from 3-point range, made 13 assists. He became the first player in 76ers history with 20 points, 10 assists and five 3-pointers in one contest. He also helped eight Sixers in all to make 3-pointers. "Just finding ways to impact the game possession by possession," said Harden, a former Nets backcourt star. "It's the playoffs. Things don't go the way you want as much as you want them to. You've got to keep pushing, keeping fighting, and I'm happy we got a win." In the times the Nets stifled Embiid, Harden picked them apart with inside moves, skilled shotmaking and precision passing. "I've been doing it for a very, very long time at the highest level so it's pretty easy," Harden said. "As long as I get into the paint and create good shots, I'm doing my job. Most of the time my teammates are making the shots." Philadelphia made a club one-half playoff record of 13 3-pointers on the way to a 67-58 halftime edge. While excited at the triumph, Harden tried to keep a perspective on the first step in a two-month playoff chase for the championship. "Stay even keel," he said. "There are going to be some good moments, some low moments. You win a game. You lose a game. Stay even keel and look at the bigger picture." Brooklyn's Mikal Bridges scored a game-high 30 points, but only seven in the second half. At Boston, Jaylen Brown scored 29 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead the Celtics over Atlanta. He played with a wrapping on cut fingers and a protective mask he has had for two months due to a facial fracture. "Got to come out and be ready to go," he said. "My team depends on me. My city depends on me. I don't make no excuses. I come out and play ball." Jayson Tatum added 25 points and 11 rebounds while Derrick White contributed 24 points for Boston, which used a 20-3 second-quarter run to seize a 74-44 half-time lead. Atlanta, led by Dejounte Murray's 24 points, rallied in the second half but could not mount a sustained threat. "Starts on defense," Brown said. "Coming out and being locked in defensively. That's a good young team. We've got to give them respect and come out and play them tight and stay aggressive." Brown wants to avoid second-half fades after building big leads. "That's the journey for us, to stay and keep that mentality locked in throughout the playoffs, 48 minutes throughout the game," he said. "Tonight we waned a little bit but we will pick it up as the playoffs go on." Saturday's other Eastern Conference first-round series opener finds New York at Cleveland while the Western Conference opener sends defending champion Golden State to Sacramento, where the host Kings make their first playoff appearance since 2006. The post Embiid, Harden spark 76ers over Nets in NBA playoff opener appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
NBA ROUNDUP: Celtics oust Raptors; Nuggets stay alive
There will be a new NBA champion and the Denver Nuggets extended their season following NBA playoff games Friday in Orlando. BOSTON TROUNCES TORONTO, FACE HEAT IN EAST FINAL The Celtics dug deep to dethrone the Toronto Raptors 92-87 in Game 7 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals […].....»»
Raptors, Celtics in do-or-die Game 7; LA Clippers one away from West Finals
The Toronto Raptors forced a Game 7 and the Los Angeles Clippers are a game away from advancing in NBA second round playoff games Wednesday in Orlando. TORONTO, BOSTON IN DO-OR-DIE GAME 7 The defending champion Toronto Raptors edged the Boston Celtics in double overtime 125-122 in Game 6 of their Eastern Conference semifinals series […].....»»
Raptors outlast Celtics to stay alive in NBA playoffs
Kyle Lowry scored 33 points and Norman Powell added 23 off the bench Wednesday as defending champion Toronto bagged a series-levelling 125-122 double overtime victory over Boston in the NBA playoffs......»»
Heat oust depleted Bucks to reach NBA East finals; Lakers down Rockets, up 2-1
Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat drives to the basket against the Milwaukee Bucks during Game Five of the Eastern Conference semifinals of the NBA Playoffs on September 8, 2020 at The Field House in Orlando, Florida. (Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images/AFP) MIAMI (AFP) — The Miami Heat punched their ticket to the NBA Eastern Conference finals Tuesday, beating top-seeded Milwaukee 103-94 as injured Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo watched from the bench. Jimmy Butler and Goran Dragic finished with 17 points apiece as six Heat players scored in double figures and Miami completed a 4-1 series victory in a bruising encounter against the league’s top defensive team. Khris Middleton led the Bucks with 23 points. Antetokounmpo — tipped to scoop a second straight NBA Most Valuable Player award this season — aggravated his sprained right ankle in the first half of the Bucks’ game-four overtime victory over the Heat. The Bucks declared him inactive less than an hour before tipoff on Tuesday. The loss of Antetokounmpo, who averaged career highs of 29.5 points and 13.6 rebounds per game this season, was a huge blow for the Bucks, as they tried to do what no NBA team has done before: come back from an 0-3 deficit to win a seven-game playoff series. It’s the second straight campaign that the Bucks built the best regular-season record only to come up short in the playoffs. In 2019 they fell to the eventual champion Toronto Raptors in six games in the Eastern Conference finals. The fifth-seeded Heat will face either the Boston Celtics or Toronto Raptors for a place in the NBA Finals. The Celtics lead their series against the defending NBA champion Raptors three games to two. Butler, who added 10 rebounds and six assists and was a perfect eight-for-eight from the foul line, said the Heat’s impressive 8-1 record so far in the playoffs means nothing now. “All of that is behind us now,” he said. “We’ll wait and see who we get out of Toronto and Boston and then we’ll lock in on that. “But it’s zero-zero now, we’ve got eight more to get.” The Heat trailed 28-19 after a chaotic first quarter in which they committed six turnovers leading to nine Bucks points. They trailed by as many as 13 in the first period, but settled down in the second, out-scoring the Bucks 33-18 to take a 52-46 lead into halftime. But Milwaukee, with Middleton leading the way, refused to go away. After going scoreless for more than six minutes in the third period the Bucks put together an 8-0 run to pull within five points. Trailing 73-65 going into the final period, the Bucks trimmed the deficit to four multiple times, but the Heat’s depth finally proved too much. “Obviously they missed their MVP,” Butler said. “But we knew we were going to have to get one out of the mud and I think this was the one.” Antetokounmpo said he felt “lost” as he was unable to contribute. “Mentally it was a battle, but at the end of the day you’ve got to trust your teammates and that’s what I decided to do,” he said after the Bucks medical staff persuaded him not to risk further injury by playing. LeBron leads Lakers LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers, left, drives the ball against Ben McLemore #16 of the Houston Rockets during the second quarter in Game Three of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 08, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (AFP) In Western Conference action, LeBron James scored 36 points and Anthony Davis added 26 as the Los Angeles Lakers powered to the finish in a 112-102 victory over the Houston Rockets. The Lakers grabbed a 2-1 series lead and James notched an NBA record 162nd career playoff win. “It says that I’ve played with a lot of great teams,” said James, who won two NBA titles with the Miami Heat and one with the Cleveland Cavaliers. “It says that I’ve played with a lot of great teammates and some great coaches.” James Harden scored 33 points with nine rebounds and nine assists and Russell Westbrook added 30 points for Houston in a back and forth battle that saw 16 lead changes. The Lakers’ reserves scored 42 points, with Houston’s only points off the bench the 16 of Jeff Green. Rajon Rondo, who scored 21 off the bench for Los Angeles, hit back-to-back three-pointers and came up with a steal and layup as the Lakers surged ahead with a 17-5 scoring run to start the fourth quarter. After putting up 64 points in the first half Houston scored just 38 in the second and the Lakers posted their second straight win of the series. There was a frightening moment in the fourth quarter, as Robert Covington and Davis collided as Davis rose for a rebound. Davis’s elbow appeared to hit Covington in head and he left the court holding a bloodied towel to his face, while Davis was hurting from Covington’s elbow in his side......»»
Tatum, Smart, Celtics walastik
AYAW magpaawat sa opensa ni Jayson Tatum, sinabayan pa siya ng kakamping si Marcus Smart kaya nasilo ng Boston Celtics ang 102-99 panalo kontra defending champion Toronto Raptors kahapon sa Game 2 ng kanilang 2019-2020 NBA second round Eastern Conference playoffs. The post Tatum, Smart, Celtics walastik first appeared on Abante......»»
Celtics rout Raptors in NBA series opener, Clippers advance
Jayson Tatum and Marcus Smart each scored 21 points to lead the Boston Celtics over defending champion Toronto 112-94 in Sunday's opening game of their second-round NBA playoff series......»»
2020 NBA Champion doesn t deserve dreaded 'asterisk'
Take your asterisk and file it somewhere else. For former NBA champion Glen Rice, the winner of the 2020 NBA title will be a deserving one. It certainly shouldn't be subject to to any asterisks even as the NBA season was postponed for months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. If anything, the season delay and the fact that NBA teams had to be subjected inside the bubble for the duration of the playoffs plus an additional eight seeding games makes this year's champion all the more celebrated. "When you have what's going on around everyone, trying to maintain a safe lifestyle in the bubble, at the same time staying aware of what's going on outside the bubble and the nuances that can go as far as COVID creeping in there, if you can get champion out everything that's going on that's really easy to distract you from basketball, I think that's a huge plus for these guys," Rice said in an interview set up by NBA Philippines. "That just goes to show you how determined and focused they were," he added. The 2020 NBA Champion will be one of the few crowned during a season where teams played less than then 82 regular season games. The 2012 Miami Heat and 1999 San Antonio Spurs won their respective titles during lockout-shortened seasons. Still, those teams don't deserve asterisks shouldn't they? Do the 2019 Raptors deserve an asterisk because Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson were injured in the last two games of the Finals? Do the mid-1990s Houston Rockets deserve an asterisk because Michael Jordan chose to play baseball? Each NBA champion will be unique in their own way, Rice says there should be no reason why the 2020 NBA winner should be looked at any differently just because of the current world circumstances. "I think you will see a lot of people saying something different, perhaps having that asterisk. But I think more importantly, people need to realize is that this is different and I'm talking about in a positive way," he said. "This is something that we've never seen in sports. To crown a champion in this environment right now, I think that says a lot about the players and coaches who go out there and do what they gotta do," Rice added. The 2020 NBA playoffs tip off Monday (Tuesday in Manila) with the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Lakers leading the East and West, respectively. The Bucks open round 1 against the Orlando Magic while the Lakers battle the Portland Trail Blazers. Defending champion Toronto Raptors take on the Brooklyn Nets while the Boston Celtics meet the Philadelphia 76ers. The Indiana Pacers and the Miami Heat complete the East bracket. In the Western Conference, the no. 2 Los Angeles Clippers open things up against the Dallas Mavericks. The Denver Nuggets take on division rival Utah Jazz while the Houston Rockets and the Oklahoma City Thunder duke it out in a best-of-7. — Follow this writer on Twitter, @paullintag8.....»»
Celtics rip Raptors as Nets, Magic grab NBA playoff spots
Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum powered the Boston Celtics to a 122-100 rout of defending NBA champion Toronto on Friday, keeping the Raptors from clinching the Eastern Conference second seed......»»