Game Three: New Orleans vs Denver

Game Three

Unfortunately, I had the start time of this one wrong and missed the first half.

This has been a slaughter so far, with Denver leading 2-0.

Can Chauncey Billups keep up his sterling play? Can New Orleans get enough out West + Chandler to come back in the series?

First Half

Some box score notes — the Hornets lead 50-47

Game Three: Houston vs Portland

Game Three

The series is tied at one apiece — I didn’t watch the first half, but tuned in for the second half.

First Quarter

Some stats with 1:30 to go in the first quarter:

• Houston leads 15-8 on the scoreboard
• The Rockets are ahead 12-7 on the backboards
• The Blazers are 4-16 from the field. Nobody has more than one field goal.

Game Three: Philadelphia vs Orlando

Game Three

The series is tied one apiece.

I watched the first quarter, but didn’t write down any notes, and turned off until late in the third quarter — so the game time report will start there.

First Half

The Philadelphia 76ers gradually build an 11 point lead, winning the first quarter by 6 points and the second quarter by 5 points.

Third Quarter

Game Three: Detroit vs Cleveland

Game Three

Cleveland should build an unassailable lead tonight by going ahead 3-0 in the series.

First Quarter

The Detroit Pistons start off in better fashion, opening up with an 8-0 run keyed by two long Tayshaun Prince jump shots on the left wing. He has 5 of the 8 points.

• Big Z at the top of the key, a little off to the left, behind the three point line, Bron is on the right wing and cuts hard to the rim, nice bounce pass from Z to Bron, slam dunk. That ends the Pistons run.
• Next possession, Cleveland run a 1-3 screen and roll and force the switch, Stuckey is on James, LeBron takes him down into the low post, left block, and makes the catch, backs him down, turns and muscles up a short shot over the youngster.
• Oh beautiful move from Stuckey … Stuckey dribbling up the floor high out on the right wing, he drives hard to his left, his the free throw line, lovely spin move to the lose the defender and he hits the pretty layup. Brilliant spin move.

Game Time: Wednesday’s Games

I didn’t have the time to watch any of these three games, but I’ll offer some box score punditry on them:

• Game Two — Atlanta vs Miami
• Game Two — Orlando vs Philadelphia
• Game Two — Denver vs New Orleans

Atlanta vs Miami

The first strory for Miami happened on the backboards

• They won the overall battle 40-33
• Who was mainly responsibly?
  • Jamario Moon had an excellent performance on the boards, pulling down 8 rebounds in just 28 minutes
  • Michael Beasley yanked down 7 boards in 21 minutes
  • Udonis Haslem had 7 boards in 26 minutes

Game Three: Dallas vs San Antonio

Game Three

I watched the Bulls-Celtics and Jazz-Lakers game, so I only caught a small part of this game (during halftime of Chicago’s game). I’ll offer my thoughts on that, and some box score punditry on the rest.

Second Quarter

Dallas are leading the game 34-25 five minutes into the second quarter.

A couple of superb defensive plays sparks a 10-0 Dallas run

• Tony Parker was out on the right wing, drove hard at Jason Kidd, Kidd anticipated the angle, beat Parker to the spot, and forced Parker into losing his footing, and earned a traveling violation against the Spurs guard.
• Brandon Bass with a picture perfect steal out on the right wing, a lazy pass from Kurt Thomas, breakaway dunk for Bass!
• Kurt Thomas squirms around in the paint and his shot rejected back out, fastbreak again.

Game Three: Chicago vs Boston

Game Three

First Quarter

The Celtics have jumped out of the gates and built up a 17-10 lead after just five minutes of action. Their early dominance has quieted the Bulls’ home crowd. That draws a timeout of Chicago.

Out of the timeout, Paul Pierce decides it’s time to exert his dominance. He hits back to back jumpers, including one lovely 17 footer on the left wing where he used a beautiful headfake to lose John Salmons, to put Boston ahead 21-12. Pierce is 5-5 from the floor. On the next possession, Pierce gets the ball out on the wing, dribble drive to the FT line, draws the defense, he takes the 16 foot fallaway J, hits it.

Boston is now ahead 23-14 and 16 of their 23 points have come in the paint.

Game Two: Los Angeles vs Utah

Game Two

I was watching the Blazers-Rockets game so I missed the first three and a bit quarters of this one.

Fourth Quarter

Lakers lead 99-86

• Kirilenko taps home Boozer’s miss. Only the fourth offensive rebound for Utah tonight. The Lakers focus must be good tonight. They had 20 offensive rebounds in game one.
• Bynum gets great position deep in the paint on a fastbreak, but Millsap rips the ball away from him. Fastbreak Utah, Deron Williams nestles in a long J on the other end.

Bynum misses two FTs on the next possession. He hasn’t scored since the first quarter, he has 10 points.

Game Two: Portland vs Houston

Game Two

First Round

• Artest goes down onto the block, right post, posts up the rookie Batum, turns and shoots, rejected by Batum. Nice defense.
• Yao posts up on the left block, kickout, Artest hits the long two
• Steve Blake calls for a screen up near the top of the key, he drives hard to the right, into the paint, layup
• LaMarcus Aldridge misses a 20 footer from the top of the key
• Brooks comes off a screen and roll on the right wing, dribbles towards the middle, 18 footer, bagged over Blake’s contest
• Drive and kick to set up Batum’s triple which he makes

Great double team from Aldridge on Artest in the post — Artest was posting up down on the left post, Aldridge came across, made himself big, Artest couldn’t pass, shot clock winding down, forced Artest to go baseline, four dribbles, kickout, shot clock expire

Game Two: Cleveland vs Detroit

Game Two — Cavs Lead Series 1-0

First Quarter

Ugly turnover from Rip Hamilton early in the game. He posts up West down on the left block, double comes, he scampers back out, throws a pass out to the right wing about 7 foot away from Stuckey at the top of the key and another Piston in the right corner. Out of bounds. Ugly turnover.

• Mo Williams runs a screen and roll with Big Z on the left wing, Williams dribbles towards the middle, bounce pass back to Z who popped out, jumper on the way, good.
• Another turnover for Detroit, fastbreak Cleveland, LeBron sprints right to the rim and stops two feet from the rim,  gets the pass, muscles it up over Prince easily.