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......»»
Davis drills game-winning trey as Lakers take 2-0 West Finals lead
Anthony Davis drained a three-pointer as time expired to seal the Los Angeles Lakers’ 105-103 victory over the Denver Nuggets Sunday for a 2-0 lead in the NBA Western Conference finals. “People talk about (I’ve) never been in this moment before, pressure, am I ready for it,” Davis said. “I want to take those shots.” […] The post Davis drills game-winning trey as Lakers take 2-0 West Finals lead appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
US wary of German pride ahead of Basketball World Cup semi
Manila, Philippines Austin Reaves warned his United States team-mates on Thursday that national pride will transform Germany's players when they meet in the Basketball World Cup semi-finals. Reaves is set to square off against former Los Angeles Lakers team-mate Dennis Schroder when the United States and Germany meet in Manila on Friday with a place in the final up for grabs. Reaves expects Schroder to be a different player once he puts on his national team jersey and warned that he has a gift for "instilling confidence in others". "The passion that he has for basketball, when it comes to the Olympics, the World Cup, stuff like that it, intensifies by 10, just because he's so passionate about where he comes from," said Reaves. "They're all like that." Germany are the only unbeaten team left at the World Cup and booked their place in the semi-finals with a narrow win over Latvia on Wednesday. Schroder had a night to forget, scoring only four of his 26 field-goal attempts in what he called "probably the worst game I ever played in my career". The Americans are still wary of the threat that Schroder poses, and US captain Jalen Brunson said the Germany playmaker "can do whatever he wants on the court in any given moment". "He has those gifts," said Brunson. "We just have to be locked in defensively. While he is a lot of what they do, he's not all of what they do." The United States also have plenty of talent at their disposal and showed it in their 100-63 quarter-final demolition of Italy on Tuesday. Head coach Steve Kerr is ready to unleash his full breadth of attacking talent against the Germans and said "they don't need a speech" before the game. "I think the main job of our staff right now is to give them a blueprint," said Kerr. "Everything that we've done in preparation over the last five-and-a-half weeks is to get to this point. "Show them what they need to do, let them be themselves -- that's the plan." Kerr called shooting guard Anthony Edwards -- the Americans' top scorer at the tournament -- "one of the most talented players on Earth". Kerr has been rewarded with impressive performances throughout his squad, and power forward Paolo Banchero said the players have been "counting down the days" until the final. "This is the peak of the tournament, this is winning time, the last two games," said Banchero. "We're locked in." amk/pbt © Agence France-Presse The post US wary of German pride ahead of Basketball World Cup semi appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
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......»»
Heat on brink of NBA Finals after 128-102 win over Celtics
The Miami Heat knocked the stuffing out of the Boston Celtics on Sunday, powering to a 128-102 victory to take a 3-0 stranglehold on the NBA Eastern Conference finals. The Heat, who host game four on Tuesday, are one win away from reaching the NBA Finals against either the Denver Nuggets or Los Angeles Lakers. The Celtics meanwhile are battling the weight of history -- no NBA team has rallied from 0-3 down to win a best-of-seven playoff series. Heat talisman Jimmy Butler could afford a relatively quiet 16-point night as point guard Gabe Vincent led the way, connecting on 11 of 14 shots from the field, including six of nine from three-point range, on the way to a game-high 29 points. Duncan Robinson added 22 points off the bench for Miami, who are vying to become just the second eighth-seeded team -- after the 1999 New York Knicks -- to reach the NBA Finals. Unlike in their first two wins of the series in Boston, there would be no need for the Heat to claw back a double-digit deficit. In front of a pumped-up crowd at Kaseya Center in Miami, the Heat dominated, Boston unable to build on an early three-point lead in the face of a total team effort from the hosts on both ends of the floor. "I don't know if 'surprised' is the word," Vincent said of the lopsided result. "We played well tonight. We defended. We made shots. We forced them into turnovers." "The next game, the mentality is to come out and compete at a high level, defend, try to make the right read every time offensively and just play good basketball. "It's the first to four games. We are not satisfied with three." Boston star Jayson Tatum scored 14 points and Jaylen Brown added 12, but Tatum made just one of his seven three-point attempts and Brown missed all seven of his as the Celtics connected on just 11 of their 42 three-point attempts. Miami made 19 three-pointers on 39 attempts, connecting on 46 of their 81 shots overall. "As you can tell, the rim was as big as the ocean for everybody," said Miami center Bam Adebayo, who thrilled the crowd with a pair of alley oop dunks and a spin around Brown for a one-handed slam on the way to 13 points. "(We were) making the extra pass, making the right pass and everybody played together." Caleb Martin scored 18 points off the bench for Miami. Max Strus chipped in 10 and the Heat didn't miss a beat when veteran Kevin Love departed after less than five minutes with an ankle injury. The Heat closed a fast-paced, physical first quarter on a 9-2 scoring run to lead 30-22 and pushed their lead to as many as 22 points in the second quarter. Boston managed to cut the gap, but with the Celtics again struggling from three-point range and with turnovers, Miami's 61-46 halftime lead represented the biggest halftime deficit faced by Boston this post-season. There would be no re-set for the Celtics in the third quarter. They had managed to trim the deficit to 12 early in the second half, but Miami out-scored them 32-17 to take a 93-63 lead into the fourth. Tatum and Brown combined for just three baskets in the third, Miami's dominance evident on back-to-back Boston possessions midway through the period when Adebayo blocked Tatum's shot on one and Martin came up with a steal to set up a Strus three-pointer. The shell-shocked Celtics went more than three minutes in the period without scoring. "I don't even know where to start," Brown said. "I feel like we let our fan base, organization down, we let ourselves down, and it was collective. We could point fingers, but in reality, it was just embarrassing." Boston's first-year coach Joe Mazzulla, who took the helm after Ime Udoka was abruptly suspended before the season for an improper workplace relationship, took the blame for the Celtics' disjointed performance. "I just didn't have them ready to play," Mazzulla said. "Whether it was the starting lineup or it was an adjustment, I have to get them in a better place ready to play, and that's on me." The post Heat on brink of NBA Finals after 128-102 win over Celtics 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......»»
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......»»
NBA ROUNDUP: Lakers dominate Heat for 2-0 lead in NBA Finals
The Los Angeles Lakers are just two games away from a record-tying 17th championship following a 124-114 victory over the short-handed Miami Heat in Game 2 of the NBA Finals in Orlando Friday. LeBron James scored 33 points and Anthony Davis contributed 32 to power the Lakers to a 2-0 lead over Miami. Rajon […].....»»
Lakers, Heat ready; bubble a triumph
Orlando—LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers begin the final challenge in their bid to return to the summit of basketball on Wednesday when they take on the Miami Heat team in game one of the NBA Finals......»»
Davis hits game-winning triple at buzzer as Lakers go 2-0 vs Nuggets
Anthony Davis drained a 3-pointer as time expired to seal the Los Angeles Lakers' 105-103 victory over the Denver Nuggets Sunday (Monday, Manila time) for a 2-0 lead in the NBA Western Conference finals......»»
Davis’s buzzer beater lifts Lakers over Nuggets
LOS ANGELES (AFP) – Anthony Davis drained a three-pointer as time expired to seal the Los Angeles Lakers’ 105-103 victory over the Denver Nuggets Sunday for a 2-0 lead in the NBA Western Conference finals. “People talk about (I’ve) never been in this moment before, pressure, am I ready for it,” […].....»»
Lakers dominate Nuggets in Western finals opener
Miami, United States — Anthony Davis scored 37 points and pulled down 10 rebounds as the Los Angeles Lakers dominated the Denver Nuggets 126-114 on Friday in game one of the NBA Western Conference finals. LeBron James added 15 points with 12 assists and six rebounds for the Lakers, who shot out of the gate […] The post Lakers dominate Nuggets in Western finals opener appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
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......»»
James, Davis power Lakers past Trail Blazers for 2-1 lead
By BRIAN MAHONEY AP Basketball Writer LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — LeBron James had 38 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists, Anthony Davis scored 12 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter, and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Portland Trail Blazers 116-108 on Saturday night (Sunday morning in the Philippines) for a 2-1 lead in the Western Conference first-round series. The Lakers shut down the high-scoring Blazers for the second straight game after the No. 1 seed was knocked off in Game 1. This was Portland's highest-scoring performance in the series and it wasn't close to good enough. Damian Lillard scored 34 points despite a dislocated left index finger and CJ McCollum added 28 for the Trail Blazers. They will try to even the series in Game 4 on Monday. Portland was down only three with about 9 1/2 minutes left. But Davis then re-entered and started scoring from everywhere, turning lob passes into dunks or stepping outside for jumpers. The Lakers' defense handled the rest, limiting the Blazers to just three field goals over more than seven minutes as they pushed the lead to 109-98 with a little more than 2 minutes to go. Carmelo Anthony added 20 points in his first good game of the series. He was 4 for 17 in the first two games and he started Game 3 with seven straight misses before making his eighth — by tipping in his own miss. The Blazers made a lineup change, inserting Hassan Whiteside to play alongside Jusuf Nurkic in a big starting five. The unit got Portland off to a good start and the Blazers nursed the early lead all the way through the second quarter without ever really stopping James, who was 5 for 6 for 15 points in eight minutes in the period. But McCollum capped his 13-point period with a 3-pointer from the corner at the buzzer, making it 57-53. James and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope combined for 12 straight points to send the Lakers from six down to a 70-64 lead. The Blazers came right back behind Anthony, who made three straight jumpers before a dunk on the break tied it at 72. The Lakers surged back ahead with a 10-0 burst that made it 89-78 and they led by seven entering the fourth. TIP-INS Lakers: Caldwell-Pope had 13 points. ... Davis missed four of his five free throw attempts in the opening minutes and finished 7 for 14. Trail Blazers: Nurkic scored 10 points. ... The Blazers were outrebounded 55-38. MISSING COLLINS Portland coach Terry Stotts said Zach Collins (left ankle stress reaction) was still in the bubble but didn't know for how long. The forward separated his left shoulder in October but returned to play in the seeding and play-in games before having to be shut down because of the ankle. “As much as we miss him, I just feel bad for him because he had put so much work into being ready for this,” Stotts said. “And because of the hiatus it gave him the opportunity to play this season, which we weren’t sure he was going to be able to have if there was no hiatus. So it looked like things were lining up well for him so it’s really disappointing for him.”.....»»
NBA: Davis makes history in Lakers win over Timberwolves
Anthony Davis delivered a sensational game on the eve of his 31st birthday Sunday, scoring 27 points with 25 rebounds in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 120-109 NBA victory over Western Conference high-fliers Minnesota. Davis added five assists, a career-high seven steals and three blocked shots for the Lakers, who are locked in a battle for.....»»
Lakers beat Clippers to arrest NBA skid
Los Angeles, United States—The Los Angeles Lakers snapped their four-game NBA losing streak on Sunday, clawing out a 106-103 victory in a cross-town tussle with the LA Clippers — one of the hottest teams in the league. LeBron James scored 25 points, Anthony Davis added 22 and 10 rebounds and the Lakers got a big lift from their reserves, including.....»»
Lakers ready for business after historic NBA Cup win
The champagne was flowing after LeBron James and Anthony Davis inspired the Los Angeles Lakers to the first-ever NBA Cup crown, but the celebrations were shortlived with the season’s main goal still ahead. “We made history,” James said after he and Davis led the Lakers in a dominant 123-109 victory over tournament darlings Indiana in.....»»
Anthony Davis’ big game leads Lakers past Pacers for in-season crown
LeBron James cops the MVP, while Anthony Davis highlights an all-around game with a 41-point, 20-rebound outburst as the Lakers trip the Pacers to bag the NBA’s inaugural in-season championship.....»»
Kai’s last chance
Up to now, Kai Sotto’s stint in the FIBA Basketball World Cup remains unclear. Sure, he has been in the country for over two weeks and has been attending some Gilas Pilipinas events, but the fact that he has yet to actually train with his teammates is making Chot Reyes anxious. Sotto is tipped to play a crucial role in the Gilas squad. His 7-foot-3 frame, athleticism and feathery shooting touch from the perimeter will be needed when the Filipinos battle the best players in the world in the prestigious basketball spectacle from 25 August to 10 September. But it will be impossible for Reyes to involve Sotto in his game plan if he has yet to actually see him banging bodies with his fellow big men like World Cup veterans June Mar Fajardo and Japeth Aguilar, as well as rising star AJ Edu. It is no secret that Sotto’s dream is to make it to the National Basketball Association. He was still a gangly kid when he started joining the Junior NBA program before moving to Ateneo de Manila University and eventually donning the national colors in various age-group events — the biggest and most prestigious was the 2019 FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup in Greece. A lot of offers came his way, including a chance to play for prestigious European clubs like Alba Berlin, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Baskonia, but Sotto, then 17, decided to bring his talent to the United States — not to enter play at the collegiate level — but to make a daring leap straight into the NBA. After training at The Skill Factory, he joined Team Ignite, a developmental team in the NBA G League that aims to prepare athletes for the NBA. At Team Ignite, Sotto showed some promise as he played for former Los Angeles Lakers coach Brian Shaw together with future NBA players Jalen Green, Jonathan Kuminga, Daishen Nix, and Isiah Todd. But when Team Ignite was about to start its season and enter the G League bubble in Orlando, Sotto shockingly flew home and joined Gilas in the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers. Ignite eventually dropped Sotto, prompting him to look for other ways to realize his dream of becoming the first full-blooded Filipino to make it to the NBA. He found one in Australia. He played for the Adelaide 36ers in the National Basketball League and had some measure of success. In fact, he was able to gauge his prowess when the 36ers played against Chris Paul, Devin Booker, DeAndre Ayton and the Phoenix Suns in an NBA preseason match. After a couple of seasons in Australia, he moved to Japan to play for the Hiroshima Dragonflies in the B League. He had some impressive games, but it wasn’t enough to earn the attention of NBA coaches, scouts, and talent evaluators. Still, he joined the NBA Summer League. Playing against veteran free agents, journeymen, and incoming rookies looking to earn spots on the opening-day rosters of NBA teams, Sotto rode the Orlando Magic bench in their first three games before making his debut against the Portland Trail Blazers, recording six points, four rebounds and three blocks in their 71-88 loss. Sotto tried to play in his fifth game, but he was slowed down by a back injury. His return to Manila was surrounded by controversy as he failed to join the Gilas squad that was set to go to China for the final leg of its preparations for the World Cup. He opted to stay home to “rest and recover” from his back injury. Until when? It’s something that only Sotto and his American handlers know. But Sotto should realize that the doors of the NBA are slowly closing on him. He already made a bad decision by snubbing the invitations of top European clubs as well as prestigious American collegiate programs like Kentucky, Georgia Tech and Auburn that could have helped him develop his game and gain confidence while playing against kids his age. Instead of staying patient and working on his game away from the prying eyes of NBA scouts, he rushed the process by signing up with Team Ignite before committing another massive blunder of flying back to Manila just before the G League season tipped off. Now he has only one chance — the FIBA Basketball World Cup. A lot of Filipinos ranging from Johnny Abarrientos to Aguilar, Kiefer Ravena and Ray Parks all tried — and failed — to make it to the NBA. On the contrary, Sotto is being presented with a rare opportunity to display his talent and carry the torch in a world-class event. Sadly, despite repeatedly saying that he is ready, his body language suggests that he is reluctant to step up to serve as the hero of this basketball-crazy nation. The clock is ticking for Sotto. The doors of the NBA are slowly closing right before his very eyes. He has to lace his sneakers, grab that Gilas jersey, and play his heart out for the country in the FIBA Basketball World Cup before he becomes another “what if” in the history of Philippine basketball. The post Kai’s last chance appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
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......»»