Heat scorch Celtics to reach NBA Finals clash with Lakers
The Miami Heat poured it on in the fourth quarter to beat the Boston Celtics 125-113 on Sunday and book a NBA Finals showdown with the Los Angeles Lakers......»»
Celtics cool down Heat to stay alive
The Boston Celtics kept their Eastern Conference finals hopes alive with a 116-99 victory over the Miami Heat on Tuesday (Wednesday, Manila time) to reduce the series deficit to 3-1.....»»
Lakers hope James continues, but say he has ‘earned right’ to retire
Los Angeles Lakers team chief Rob Pelinka said Tuesday he hoped LeBron James would continue his NBA career but said the NBA superstar had "earned the right" to retire. James, 38, stunned the basketball world late Monday after telling ESPN he was considering calling time on his glittering 20-season career in the NBA. His comments came after a 40-point display in the Lakers' 113-111 defeat to the Nuggets, who advanced to the NBA Finals after completing a 4-0 sweep of the 17-time champions. James' retirement hint appeared to catch many -- including the Lakers front office -- off-guard, given that James signed a two-year contract extension with the team last August. Lakers general manager Pelinka said Tuesday that he and head coach Darvin Ham will hold talks with James soon to discuss his future while emphasizing the club would support whatever he chose to do. "Coach and I will speak to LeBron in the coming days," Pelinka said. "We all know that he speaks for himself and we'll look forward to those conversations when the time is right. "But I will say this -- LeBron has given as much to the game of basketball as anyone who's ever played. "And when you do that, you earn the right to decide whether you're going to give more." Pelinka said it was possible James had reached an "inflection point" in his career. "Our job at the Lakers organization is to support any player on our team if they reach a career inflection point," Pelinka said. "LeBron is surrounded by incredible people. I'm sure he'll have conversations with them. In the coming days we’ll be in contact with him and his team and really providing nothing but support for him. "Obviously, our hope would be that his career continues. But we want to give him the time to have that inflection point and support him in everything he does." Ham echoed Pelinka's comments, praising James for his input during a season that saw the Lakers make a disastrous 2-10 start before retooling their roster and making a deep run in the playoffs. "I think I was ready to retire last night too," Ham joked. "But in all honesty and seriousness, LeBron has earned the right to do whatever he wants to do. "I just want to thank him ... especially him, for being a consistent resource for me as a first-time head coach. "I've been around the game for a long time, and he was the most supportive, knowledgeable, communicative resource that I had all year. He was right there front and center for me and my staff. So he's earned the right to decide whatever he wants to do." Pelinka meanwhile said that the Lakers hoped to keep the core of the roster that finished the season as they build for the future. "We're incredibly proud of this group ...keeping that continuity is going to be very important," Pelinka said. "We ultimately got knocked out by a team that has great continuity. They've got a group of players who've been together for several seasons and it shows in the way they play. So continuity is a high priority for us." The post Lakers hope James continues, but say he has ‘earned right’ to retire appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
LeBron still believes as Lakers head for playoff exit
LeBron James refused to concede defeat on Saturday after the Los Angeles Lakers slumped to a playoff loss to Denver that leaves them needing to rewrite history to reach the NBA Finals. Denver is within one game of securing a finals berth for the first time in franchise history after a clinical 119-108 defeat of the Lakers in Los Angeles that leaves them 3-0 up in the best-of-seven Western Conference finals series. In the history of the NBA, no team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit in the playoffs. James however insisted the Lakers could turn around the series, starting with a win in game four on Monday. Asked if "belief" was still present in the Lakers locker room, James replied: "It should be. I hope so. "I can't speak for the guys right now because I don't know what's going on through all their minds right now. But I still do." James said he would use the possibility of rewriting history and leading the Lakers back from the brink as a motivator. "That's the only mindset for me for sure," he said. James added that his message to teammates for the remainder of the series would be "just one at a time." "Just focus on game four, and you know, that's all you can really think about," he said. "Obviously this game is over and done with. We had some opportunities but we didn't come through. "So just get ready for Monday and just got to get one. It's a one-game series for us. Every game counts." The post LeBron still believes as Lakers head for playoff exit appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Sixers sweep Nets to advance, Suns on brink as Heat burn Bucks
The Philadelphia 76ers shrugged off the absence of Joel Embiid to complete a 4-0 sweep of the Brooklyn Nets in the NBA playoffs on Saturday as the Phoenix Suns edged closer to a second-round berth by beating the Los Angeles Clippers. The Sixers advanced to an Eastern Conference semi-final showdown against either Boston or Atlanta with a dominant second-half display to seal a 96-88 victory in Brooklyn. Elsewhere in the East, the Miami Heat thrashed the short-handed Milwaukee Bucks 121-99 to edge ahead of the top seeds 2-1 in their best-of-seven series. In Brooklyn, the Sixers trailed by 11 points early in the third quarter but transformed the contest with an 18-4 run to take the lead before closing out victory with a fourth-quarter rally. The Sixers' win was all the more impressive given the absence of star center Embiid, who suffered a right knee sprain in Thursday's 102-97 victory in game three. Embiid led the NBA with 33.1 points a game and is a finalist for the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. Paul Reed stepped in to fill the void and finished with 10 points and 15 rebounds. Tobias Harris led the scoring for Philadelphia with 25 points and 12 rebounds, while De'Anthony Melton came off the bench to produce 15 points and lead the fourth-quarter surge. Harris said the Sixers were determined to use Embiid's absence as a motivator. "He's the MVP. And when we heard he wasn't playing, I think it was an opportunity for everybody else to really step up and understand that we've got to get a win without the big fellow," Harris told the TNT television network. "The whole group came together today. It's a great win for us and a great way to sweep the series." Asked what his message to the injured Embiid would be, Harris replied: "Hurry up and get your ass back out here." The 4-0 series victory was Philadelphia's first playoff sweep since 1991. Spencer Dinwiddie led Brooklyn's scoring with 20 points while Nic Claxton had 19 points with 12 rebounds. "Getting swept is trash," a dejected Claxton said. "It's not a good feeling." Suns on the brink In Los Angeles, Kevin Durant finished with 31 points, 11 rebounds and six assists to help Phoenix beat the Clippers 112-100 for a 3-1 series lead. Devin Booker plundered 30 points and veteran Chris Paul added 19 in a late burst of scoring as Phoenix bagged their second straight win in Los Angeles. "I'm in a good place and I'm enjoying playing ball," Durant said. "I've been out a few months this season, and I'm just happy I'm out here where the ball is." It means the Suns need just one more win to book their place in the Western Conference semi-finals, with game five set for Phoenix on Tuesday. The Clippers' hopes of squaring the series had been dealt a blow by the absence of Kawhi Leonard, who joined Paul George on the injured list. Russell Westbrook produced one of his best performances for the Clippers with a 37-point display. In Miami, the Heat took full advantage of the absence of Milwaukee's two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, leading by double digits much of the night. Jimmy Butler scored 30 points on 12-of-19 shooting before departing late in the third quarter after taking a hard fall. After visiting the locker room he returned to the bench but with the game in hand did not go back on the floor. Duncan Robinson scored 20 points and fellow reserve Kyle Lowry added 15 as the Heat bench delivered 59 points. "We just came out here and played with some intensity," Lowry said. The Heat will try to level the series on Monday, but Lowry said he knows they'll face a tough task. "Every game is a different game," he said. Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said the team would continue to "monitor" Antetokounmpo, who suffered a back contusion in game one, missed game two and was a late scratch on Saturday. In the late game the Memphis Grizzlies welcomed star guard Ja Morant back after a hand injury as they visited the Los Angeles Lakers with their series knotted 1-1. The post Sixers sweep Nets to advance, Suns on brink as Heat burn Bucks appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Sixers advance after Nets sweep, Suns on brink as Clippers downed
The Philadelphia 76ers shrugged off the absence of Joel Embiid to complete a 4-0 sweep of the Brooklyn Nets in the NBA playoffs on Saturday as the Phoenix Suns edged closer to a second-round berth with a victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. The Sixers advanced to an Eastern Conference semi-final showdown against either Boston or Atlanta with a dominant second-half display to seal a 96-88 victory in Brooklyn. The Sixers trailed by 11 points early in the third quarter but transformed the contest with an 18-4 run to take the lead before closing out victory with a fourth-quarter rally. The Sixers' win was all the more impressive given the absence of star center Embiid, who suffered a right knee sprain in Thursday's 102-97 victory in game three. Embiid led the NBA with 33.1 points a game and is a finalist for the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. With Embiid out, Paul Reed stepped in to fill the void and finished with 10 points and 15 rebounds. Tobias Harris led the scoring for Philadelphia with 25 points and 12 rebounds, while De'Anthony Melton came off the bench to produce 15 points and lead the fourth-quarter rally. Harris said the Sixers had been determined to use Embiid's absence as a motivator. "He's the MVP. And when we heard he wasn't playing, I think it was an opportunity for everybody else to really step up and understand that we've got to get a win without the big fella," Harris told the TNT television network after the win. "For us to come out here and get this victory, it feels great for the whole group. "The whole group came together today. It's a great win for us and a great way to sweep the series." Asked what his message to the injured Embiid would be, Harris replied: "Hurry up and get your ass back out here." The 4-0 series victory was Philadelphia's first playoff sweep since 1991. Spencer Dinwiddie led Brooklyn's scoring with 20 points while Nic Claxton had 19 points with 12 rebounds. In Los Angeles, Kevin Durant finished with 31 points, 11 rebounds and six assists to help Phoenix take a 3-1 series lead over the Clippers with a 112-100 victory. Devin Booker plundered 30 points and veteran Chris Paul added 19 in a late burst of scoring as Phoenix bagged their second straight win in Los Angeles in the best-of-seven series. It means the Suns need just one more win to book their place in the Western Conference semi-finals, with game five set for Phoenix on Tuesday. The Clippers' hopes of squaring the series had been dealt a blow by the absence of Kawhi Leonard, who joined Paul George on the injured list. In their absence, Russell Westbrook produced one of his best performances for the Clippers with a 37-point display but ultimately it was not enough as the greater depth of the Suns' line-up proved too much. "I'm in a good place and I'm enjoying playing ball," Durant said after the win. "I've been out a few months this season, and I'm just happy I'm out here where the ball is." In later playoff games on Saturday, the Milwaukee Bucks travel to Miami looking for a win on the road over the Heat with the best-of-seven series finely balanced at 1-1. Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, who sat out game two after suffering a back injury in game one, was listed as questionable for Milwaukee. In the late game, the Memphis Grizzlies travel to Los Angeles to face the Lakers with their series knotted at one game apiece. The post Sixers advance after Nets sweep, Suns on brink as Clippers downed appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Grizzlies hold off Lakers to level series 1-1
The Memphis Grizzlies shook off the absence of star guard Ja Morant to beat the Los Angeles Lakers 103-93 on Wednesday and knot their NBA Western Conference playoff series at one game apiece. Xavier Tillman scored 22 points and pulled down 18 rebounds to lead the Grizzlies, who led by as many as 20 points in a bruising battle that saw Lakers center Anthony Davis suffer a small cut on his right eyelid and LeBron James drawn into a verbal back and forth with Dillon Brooks. With All-Star point guard Morant ruled out with a bruised right hand, the Grizzlies clamped down defensively, Tillman saying their message to Morant was "we've got his back, and we're going to hold it down for him." Tillman keyed Memphis's quick start, connecting on his first six shots and finishing 10-of-13 from the floor. The Grizzlies led by as many as 16 points on the way to a 59-44 halftime lead as the harried Lakers failed to find a way to get their offense firing. Davis blocked five shots in the first half but connected on just one of nine shot attempts. He finished with 13 points on four-of-14 shooting. James led all scorers with 28 points and Japan's Rui Hachimura added 20 to become the first Laker to score 20 points off the bench in back-to-back playoff games since Magic Johnson in 1996. But unlike in game one, there would be no late resurgence for the Lakers, the Grizzlies absorbing the Lakers' second-half push. Jaren Jackson Jr., the newly named NBA Defensive Player of the Year, scored 18 points, Desmond Bane added 17 and Brooks chipped in 12. Tyus Jones, starting in place of Morant, added 10 and eight assists. After the Grizzlies pushed their lead to 20 points early in the third quarter, the Lakers began to push back. Two baskets and two free throws from James launched a 17-3 Lakers scoring run that sliced the deficit to six points, but that's as close as they would get the rest of the way. Now, Tillman said, the Grizzlies will summon a "road warrior mentality" for game three of the best-of-seven series in Los Angeles on Saturday. Antetokounmpo ruled out Elsewhere the Milwaukee Bucks were without Giannis Antetokounmpo as they tried to claw back a victory against the Miami Heat in their Eastern Conference first-round series. Antetokounmpo, a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player, suffered a lower back contusion in the first quarter of the Eastern Conference top seeds' 130-117 loss in game one on Sunday. The Bucks, the top seeds in the East and owners of the best regular-season record in the league, had hoped he would be fit to return but he was ruled out less than two hours before tip-off. "He's continued to improve," Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said before the game. "But organizationally, talking and working with him and the sports performance group, a decision was made. He's out." Two-time reigning MVP Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets, meanwhile, sought to extend their series lead over Minnesota when they hosted the Timberwolves in game two of their Western Conference clash. The post Grizzlies hold off Lakers to level series 1-1 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Butler, Heat beat struggling Lakers in NBA finals rematch
Los Angeles, United States—Jimmy Butler and Kendrick Nunn combined for 51 points as the Miami Heat defeated reigning league champions the Los Angeles Lakers 96-94 on Saturday (Sunday Philippine time), in a rematch of last season’s NBA finals......»»
LA not the only winner
The NBA Finals ended in the Orlando bubble yesterday morning (Manila time) with the Los Angeles Lakers capturing their first trophy since 2010, leaving the Miami Heat gassed out in a grueling series that took six games to finish......»»
Lakers, Heat set stage for high-stakes NBA Finals drama
Orlando, United States --- Survive or celebrate — the stakes are the same for the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers heading into game six of the NBA Finals on Sunday (Monday Philippine time) less than 48 hours after Miami’s riveting game-five triumph......»»
Lakers Davis says he ll be ready for NBA Finals game six
Anthony Davis insisted he'll be ready to go on Sunday when the Los Angeles Lakers try again to close out the Miami Heat for the 2020 NBA title, despite an early injury scare in the Lakers' game-five loss on Friday......»»
Lakers seek 17th NBA title; Heat still defiant
Orlando---The Los Angeles Lakers can complete the franchise’s return to the pinnacle of basketball here Friday as they look to seal a record-equalling 17th NBA Finals crown with a victory over the Miami Heat......»»
Heat edge Lakers in thriller to keep NBA title dream alive
Jimmy Butler's triple-double propelled Miami to a 111-108 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday that kept the Heat alive in the NBA Finals......»»
D-Day para sa Lakers?
Nakatutok na ang liyamadong Los Angeles Lakers sa pagpitas ng ika-17 titulo ngayong Sabado sa pagsabak sa Game 5 ng NBA Finals kontra nag-aasam na humirit pa na Miami Heat. Maibubulsa na ng Lakers, na nasa kanilang unang Finals matapos kapusing umabot sa post-season sa loob ng anim na taon, ang una nitong titulo sapul […] The post D-Day para sa Lakers? appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Lakers eye 17th NBA crown while Heat remain defiant
Orlando—The Los Angeles Lakers can complete the franchise’s return to the pinnacle of basketball here Friday (Saturday morning, October 10, 2020, Philippine time) as they look to seal a record-equalling 17th NBA Finals crown with a victory over the Miami Heat. The Lakers, who returned to the finals this season after missing the post-season for […] The post Lakers eye 17th NBA crown while Heat remain defiant appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Enjoy exclusive, easy access to NBA TV PH via Smart Signature
Is LeBron James games away from what critics call his last chance to a championship ring? The answer lies in the ongoing NBA 2020 Finals between the LA Lakers and Miami Heat—a series Smart Signature subscribers can experience live via NBA.Smart......»»
NBA Finals: Lakers close in on title, cool off Heat
LeBron James scored 28 points as the Los Angeles Lakers moved to within one win of a 17th NBA championship on Tuesday with a 102-96 victory over the Miami Heat. Humbled by Miami in game three on Sunday, James and the Lakers came roaring back in a hard-fought defensive battle that was finely balanced until […] The post NBA Finals: Lakers close in on title, cool off Heat appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Butler pasiklab ng triple double
ITINUMBA ng smiling assassin ng Heat sina Lakers superstars LeBron James at Anthony Davis sa Game 3 ng NBA Finals Linggo ng gabi sa Orlando bubble. The post Butler pasiklab ng triple double first appeared on Abante......»»
LeBron, Wade praise ‘phenomenal’ Butler
By CARLO ANOLIN Don’t count the Miami Heat out just yet. Jimmy Butler made this statement clear after lifting the Heat past the Los Angeles Lakers 115-104 in Game 3 of the NBA Finals Sunday (Monday, Manila time). With Butler leading the Heat, the NBA world gave a nod to the Marquette […].....»»
Miami takes Game 3, cuts NBA Finals deficit to 2-1
Jimmy Butler posted a triple-double as the Miami Heat beat the Los Angeles Lakers, 115-104, in Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Monday (Manila time) to cut their series deficit to 2-1. Butler dropped 40 points, dished out 13 assists and grabbed 11 rebounds to help the undermanned Heat, who played without injured starting […] The post Miami takes Game 3, cuts NBA Finals deficit to 2-1 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Heat bumalik ang init, Game 3 sinungkit
Nagbuhos si Jimmy Butler ng triple-double para pangunahan ang Miami Heat sa 115-104 panalo kontra Los Angeles Lakers sa Game 3 ng NBA Finals at maibaba ang pagkakaiwan sa serye sa 2-1 nitong Lunes. Bumitaw si Butler ng 14-of-20 shooting sa pagkolekta ng 40 points na sinahugan niya ng 13 assists at pagpitas ng 11 […] The post Heat bumalik ang init, Game 3 sinungkit appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»