#NBA2015: Players to Watch - Part One

With the 2014-2015 NBA season beginning in fewer than 10 days, I found it just right to look at some players we should all keep tabs on. There are no-brainers like LeBron, KD, CP3, and James Harden, of course, but there are also many other characters on whom we should put the spotlight. In this first of five parts, we’ll take a look at some key guys for the Hawks, Celtics, Nets, Hornets, Bulls, and Cavs.

A few guys hoping to make the jump, a couple who might get traded, and a
former MVP trying to return to form.

The NBA Roundup: November 10, 2013

The Pacers marched to a 7-0 slate, the Clips repeated over the Rockets, and Jeff Green (JEFF GREEEN!) buried a buzzer-beating three to pull the rug from under Miami in yesterday’s NBA action.

Jeff Green let loose a bomb over LBJ as
the Cetlics stunned Miami.
(image by Chris Trotman/Getty Images

The Best:

• Kyrie Irving and Michael Carter-Williams had an awesome duel down in Ohio, with Irving’s Cavs coming out on top, 127-125. Irving buried 5 triples on his way to 39 points, 12 assists, and 5 rebounds, while MCW dropped 21 markers, 7 boards, 13 dimes, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. Carter-Williams also drained all three treys he attempted. Needless to say, this duel is going to be really fun to watch in the foreseeable future.
• How about that DeAndre Jordan showing up to play on BOTH ends of the floor? Jordan pretty much outplayed Dwight Howard as Los Angeles continued to frustrate Houston. Jordan scored just a dozen points, but he hauled down 18 rebounds, had 4 assists, 3 blocked shots, and 2 steals for the Clippers, who have now won over the Rockets twice in the last week.
• Portland’s LaMarcus Aldridge has really come into his own. Against the Kings, Aldridge poured in 22 points, 14 rebounds, and 3 assists while shooting 10/19 from the field. This could be the year he becomes an All-Star for the West.

The Worst:

• Harrison Barnes might not be adjusting too well to his role as chief back-up wingman. Against the Grizzlies, Barnes nailed just 2/7 from the floor to finish with 4 points in 19 minutes of play. Either he settles into his new role and vies for SMOY, or he gets shipped out before Valentine’s.
• I am not really lovin’ how Paul Pierce is fitting into the Brooklyn Nets right now. Against the Pacers, the Truth shot just 5/12 from the field and turned the ball over 5 times in 33 minutes of play. I say his age is catching up really really fast.
• I love Damien Lillard’s game, but in this one against Sac-town, last year’s ROY built a house of bricks. Lillard made just 1 out of his FIFTEEN field goals to finish with 4 points in 37 minutes of play. Damn.

The NBA: 2013 Playoffs: Cold Howard, Hot Curry

Dwight Howard lost his cool and got ejected in Game 4.
That might have been his final game as a Laker.
(Image from: USA Today) 

#GoneFishin #Dwightmare

The tumultuous season of the Lakers finally came to an end after the Spurs swept them. The Lakers had no chance to win this series and they failed to even keep one game close. Most of the Lakers played hard on their final game except Dwight Howard who got ejected in the 3rd quarter after complaining too much to the referees. The Lakers were down big when Dwight got tossed and without him, the season was basically over. It felt as if Howard just lost interest in Game 4 and lost interest in his team. Getting himself ejected seemed like taking the "easy way out". There's a big chance that Howard played his last game for the Lakers and if that is the case, how many Lakers' fans would be happy that he's gone?

#Sweep #NoShow
The Bucks never led in Game 4 although they kept it close up to the 4th quarter until Miami decided to turn up the pressure and end the series. Brandon Jennings was a non-factor for the 3rd straight game and was unable to support his brash comments about beating the Heat in 6. Even without Dwyane Wade, Miami did their business and accomplished their 1st sweep in the Heat 3 era. Kudos to Udonis Haslem, Ray Allen and Mike Miller for stepping up with D-Wade missing the game. It also helps a lot when LeBron James drops 30 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists. The Heat has won 12 straight games dating back to the regular season and now they will have a lot of time to rest their bruises while waiting for the winner of Nets-Bulls.

#TheJet #StayingAlive
Jason Terry has been a disappointment during his first regular season with the Celtics. He was also a non-factor in their first 3 games vs the Knicks until Terry came alive in the overtime session of Game 4. The Jet made a key three and some free throws in OT to keep the Celtics' season alive for another game. Boston almost lost the game after being up by 20 points but the Knicks came back thanks to Raymond Felton and Iman Shumpert. JR Smith missed the game due to a suspension and that certainly helped the Celtics steal one game. Carmelo Anthony still scored 36 points but he had to hoist 35 shots while making only 10. Paul Pierce, Jeff Green and Kevin Garnett all had big games which the Celtics need to replicate to win Game 5 in New York.  

#SizzlingHot #DubNation
Stephen Curry had one basket while having ankle problems during half time. Still, Curry played in the 3rd quarter and exploded for 22 points. He was sizzling hot, similar to his past 3 games where he averaged 30 points on 55% shooting. A close game suddenly turned into a rout and the Warriors are comfortably up 3-1. Curry had lots of help too coming from Andrew Bogut who dunked on multiple Nuggets and Jarrett Jack who continues to make key shots and good decisions. Ty Lawson had another good game but he needed more help since Faried and Chandler failed to score at least 10 points. Coach Karl made a puzzling decision by letting Andre Miller guard Curry during his 22-point explosion. Expect George Karl to make the necessary adjustments for Game 5 by putting Iguodala or Lawson on Curry more.

#Stats #News

• Melo launched 35 shots which is the 2nd highest this year (Kobe had 41)
• Ray Allen was the Heat's 2nd leading scorer vs the Bucks 
• Bryant sat on the Lakers' bench after Dwight got banished to the lockers
• Tony Parker had 23 points in 26 minutes
• Only 8 teams have managed to win after being down 3-1 in a series

#Player of the Night
Stephen Curry (Warriors) - 31 points, 7 assists, 3 rebounds, 4 steals. 

#Highlights of the Night
Dwight Howard quits on his team
Andrew Bogut over JaVale!

#Tweets of the Night

NBA on TNT ‏@NBAonTNT

"He doesn't know how to post up. I like him a lot as a person, but as a player he's got a long way to go." -Chuck on @DwightHoward

Earvin Magic Johnson ‏@MagicJohnson

LN: Dwight, I've been swept before but I never let my team down by getting kicked out of the game.

#Game Recaps

Final Score: Boston 97, New York 90 (OT)

Boston, MA (Sports Network) - After being pushed around by the New York Knicks in the first three games of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series, the Boston Celtics showed some fight. Jason Terry scored Boston's final nine points of overtime, beginning with a tie-breaking 3-pointer with 1:32 left, and the Celtics staved off elimination with a hard-earned 97-90 Game 4 decision over the Knicks at a raucous TD Garden. Terry finished with 18 points, with Paul Pierce putting up a team-best 29 and Jeff Green adding 26 to help Boston force a Game 5 that will be held Wednesday at Madison Square Garden. Kevin Garnett did his part as well by pulling down 17 rebounds and recording nine of his 13 points in the second half and OT. Playing without NBA Sixth Man of the Year J.R. Smith, suspended for the contest after being assessed with a flagrant elbow of Terry during Friday's 90-76 New York victory in Game 3, the Knicks struggled to a 34.4 percent field goal percentage. New York still managed to overcome a 20-point second-half deficit and send the game into extra minutes behind a dominant third quarter, during which Raymond Felton dropped in 16 of his 27 points. Carmelo Anthony topped the Knicks with 36 points, but went just 10-of-35 from the floor and 0-for-7 from 3-point range. Iman Shumpert compiled a double-double of 12 points and 12 rebounds in defeat.

Final Score: Miami 88, Milwaukee 77

Milwaukee, WI (Sports Network) - The Heat recorded their first series sweep in the playoffs since LeBron James and Chris Bosh joined Dwyane Wade in Miami. But the Heat didn't need Wade's services in Game 4 of their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series against the Milwaukee Bucks. James led the way with 30 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and three steals as Miami took down the Bucks, 88-77, to post the franchise's fourth postseason series sweep. Ray Allen and Udonis Haslem added 16 and 13 points, respectively, for Miami, which swept a playoff series for the first time since the 2005 Eastern Conference Semifinals. Bosh tallied 10 points and four blocks. Wade sat out Sunday's playoff game to rest his bruised right knee. He averaged 13.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 6.3 assists in the first three games of this series. The Heat will face either Chicago or Brooklyn in the next round. The Bulls lead that series by a 3-1 margin. Monta Ellis ended with 21 points and eight assists for the Bucks, who haven't won an opening-round playoff series since 2001. Mike Dunleavy and J.J. Redick donated 17 and 10 points, respectively.

Final Score: San Antonio 103, LA Lakers 82

Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - The San Antonio Spurs ended the Los Angeles Lakers' drama-filled season in sweeping fashion. Tony Parker had 23 points and the Spurs dominated the Lakers, 103-82, on Sunday to sweep their first-round Western Conference playoff series. The Lakers had never been swept in a first- round series since the playoffs expanded to 16 teams during the 1983-84 season. Los Angeles was swept just once previously in an opening-round playoff series in franchise history (1967, 0-3 to San Francisco). It was a disappointing end to a season that started with so much hope for the Lakers, who acquired All-Stars Steve Nash and Dwight Howard in the offseason. After an 0-8 preseason record and a 1-4 start to the regular season, head coach Mike Brown was fired. Assistant Bernie Bickerstaff was named the interim coach until Mike D'Antoni took over as the full-time head coach. Los Angeles made a late push to make the playoffs but lost Kobe Bryant (torn Achilles tendon) in the process. The Lakers were plagued by injuries in this series, and played Sunday's game without the services of Metta World Peace (left knee), Nash (hamstring), Steve Blake (hamstring) and Jodie Meeks (ankle). The second- seeded Spurs, who handed the Lakers their earliest playoff exit since 2007, will either face Denver or Golden State in the next round.

Final Score: Golden State 115, Denver 101

Oakland, CA (Sports Network) - Stephen Curry's sore left ankle didn't seem to affect his shooting on Sunday night. The Golden State sharp-shooter scorched the nets for a game-high 31 points, including 22 in the third quarter, as the Warriors surged past the Denver Nuggets, 115-101, to grab a 3-1 series lead in their Western Conference quarterfinal matchup at Oracle Arena. Curry went just 1-for-3 for seven points in the first half, but finished 10- for-16 from the floor to go with seven assists in helping the Warriors earn their third straight victory. Jarrett Jack followed with 21 points and nine helpers, while Carl Landry tallied 17 points in the victory. Ty Lawson led the Nuggets with 26 points and six assists and Andre Iguodala added 19 points and eight rebounds, but it wasn't enough to keep Denver from finding itself in a do-or- die situation. The Nuggets will look to extend the series in Game 5 on Tuesday in Denver.

The NBA: 2013 Playoffs: Day 7 - Wild Finish in SF

Ty Lawson had a big game with 35 points and 10 assists in Game 3.
But that was not enough for the Nuggets to win as they lost by 2
(Image from: Associated Press)

#BestSeries #WildFinish
The most entertaining and most exciting series did not disappoint for the 3rd straight game. The Nuggets and Warriors went down to the wire with crazy turnovers and impressive shots from everyone on the floor. The game went back and forth and it featured a wild finish. It started with a 5-second in-bounds call against the Warriors. Then Lawson slipped and lost the ball with the Nuggets down by 1. Barnes made 1 of 2 free throws which gave the Nuggets one last chance. Iguodala raced to the half court line and heaved a mid-court shot that almost went in. An overtime period (or 2 or 3) would have been perfect! Ty Lawson had a game-high 35 points but his turnover (could have been a foul on the Dubs) in the dying seconds cost the Nuggets a shot for the win. Meanwhile, Steph Curry continued his hot shooting with 29 and 11 assists. Curry was joined by Harrison Barnes and Jarrett Jack who had big games as well.

#NoMatch #Looking4Sweep
The Spurs walloped the depleted Lakers by 31 points at the Staples Center. The Lakers did not play Nash, Blake and Meeks and that left them with inexperienced players. Their starting back court consisted of Darius Morris and Andrew Goudelock. WHO? Actually, Morris and Goudelock had decent scoring games as they combined for 44 points but both of them were -28. The Lakers also literally got nothing from MWP who had ZERO points while their bench produced just 9 points. The Spurs had more firepower and it was simply an impossible game for the Lakers to win especially with Tony Parker and Tim Duncan playing at a high level. The Spurs shot 61% from the field and grabbed 49 rebounds.

#BostonStrong #SwingingElbow
The emotional high and extra motivation from Boston fans could not lift the Celtics past the Knicks. The Celtics struggled early and were down by 16 points at half time. Boston did not really threaten the Knicks in Game 3 and now New York can sweep on Sunday. The Celtics have averaged 75 points in 3 games and they are now 1-6 vs the Knicks including the regular season. The major story in this game was JR Smith's swinging elbow striking Jason Terry's head. Smith was given a flagrant foul 2 and was ejected. IF the NBA decides to suspend Smith for one game, then the Celtics have a chance to avoid the sweep and steal Game 4.

#InjuriesSuck #TornMeniscus
It sucks that Russell Westbrook could potentially miss the rest of the playoffs due to a meniscus injury. There is no timetable for his return and the most probable recovery time is from 4-6 weeks, maybe even longer. Metta World Peace came back from a similar injury after 12 days but his play has suffered and his mobilty has not been the same. The Thunder could lose their series against the Rockets if they are unable to compensate for Westbrook's absence. Kevin Durant, Kevin Martin and Reggie Jackson all need to play more minutes and play better to overcome this setback.

#Stats #News

• Jarrett Jack had 23 points, 7 assists and 7 turnovers including the 5-second count
• Kenneth Faried started and played 30 minutes: 15 points and 7 rebounds
• Andrew Goudeluck was the MVP of the D-League
• Dwight had 25 and 11 and Gasol a triple-double but Lakers lost by 31
• Spurs were +14 on the glass and +11 in assists
• Celtics had 4 fast break points and 17 turnovers
• Carmelo failed to score over 30 for the 2nd time in his last 11 games

#Player of the Night
Steph Curry (Warriors) - 29 points, 11 assists, 6 rebounds, 2 steals, 9-9 FTs

#Highlights of the Night
Iggy with the reverse OOP
JR Smith and his elbow

#Tweet of the Night

Holly MacKenzie ‏@stackmack

seems unfair for one of these teams to lose when we've had some ugly ass basketball in the east in the last 24 hours.

#GameRecaps


Final Score: New York 90, Boston 76
Boston, MA (Sports Network) - The New York Knicks used another dominant half to guide them to victory. This time it was during the opening 24 minutes. Carmelo Anthony netted 26 points and the Knicks took a commanding 3-0 series lead following a 90-76 win over the Boston Celtics in Game 3 of this Eastern Conference first-round series. Raymond Felton added 15 points and 10 assists for New York, which is a win away from advancing past the first round since sweeping the Toronto Raptors during the 1999-2000 season. The Celtics played their first home game since the Boston Marathon bombings 11 days ago, but the raucous Beantown faithful were quickly taken out of the contest. Boston committed to double-teaming Anthony in the first half and the Knicks made the Celts pay from beyond the arc, where they went 7- of-14 from 3-point range. Pablo Prigioni nailed three of those triples. Boston, meanwhile, shot just 35 percent. New York took a 16-point advantage into the break and was never seriously threatened in the second half. The Knicks had excelled during the second half of games during the first two tilts of this set. In Game 1, New York held Boston to just eight points in the fourth, and 25 overall in the final 24 minutes. Boston shot just 25.9 percent in the second half and made just three baskets -- 27.3 percent (3- of-11) -- in the final frame. The Knicks used their stifling defense in the second half of Game 2 as well. Boston recorded just 23 points and shot just 19.4 percent over the last two stanzas. J.R. Smith was tossed out of the contest following a flagrant foul two with 7:06 remaining for throwing an elbow into Jason Terry's face. The league office will look at the replay to determine whether to discipline Smith further. Jeff Green tallied 21 points for the Celtics, who went 27-13 at TD Garden during the regular season. New York will go for the series sweep Sunday in Boston.

Final Score: Golden State 110, Denver 108
Oakland, CA (Sports Network) - It was a lightning fast-paced battle and Stephen Curry's ankle held up just fine. Curry tallied 29 points and 11 assists in the Golden State Warriors' 110-108 triumph over the Denver Nuggets in Game 3 of this Western Conference first- round series. It was a hectic final few moments as Wilson Chandler nailed a left corner three to pull Denver within 109-108 with 16.5 seconds remaining. The Warriors called timeout with 9.4 ticks left, but were called for a five-second violation on the ensuing inbounds. Ty Lawson, who finished with a playoff career-high 35 points, turned the ball over on Denver's next possession with 5.3 seconds to go. Harrison Barnes split a pair of foul shots with 3.7 seconds on the clock and Andre Iguodala's heave from the right side of the midcourt line clanked off the front of the rim as Golden State escaped with the victory to take a 2-1 series lead. Curry rolled his left ankle late in the third quarter of his team's 131-117 Game 2 win, but returned for the start of the fourth and ended with 30 points and 13 assists. Although he gave the ball away seven times, Jarrett Jack added 23 points and seven assists in the triumph. Lawson also dished out 10 assists, while Corey Brewer deposited 16 points off the bench for the Nuggets.

Final Score: San Antonio 120, LA Lakers 89
Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - With four guards sidelined, the Los Angeles Lakers looked to Andrew Goudelock and Darius Morris for a boost against the San Antonio Spurs. What they got was the worst home playoff loss in Lakers history. Now, they're are on the verge of being swept in the first round of a playoff series for the first time. Tim Duncan registered 26 points and nine rebounds and Tony Parker scored 20 in San Antonio's 120-89 rout of the Lakers in Game 3 of their Western Conference quarterfinal series. The Spurs, who shot 61.2 percent from the field, also got 13 points from DeJuan Blair, 12 from Kawhi Leonard and 11 from Danny Green. Pau Gasol had a triple-double of 11 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists for the Lakers, who also received 25 points and 11 boards from Dwight Howard. Morris scored 24 and Goudelock 20. Metta World Peace was held scoreless in 17 minutes. Steve Nash sat out for Los Angeles with a strained right hamstring and Jodie Meeks missed a second game with a sprained left ankle. Steve Blake (strained right hamstring) and Kobe Bryant (torn left Achilles tendon) were already ruled out. San Antonio took command early by hitting 61 percent of its shots in the first quarter, led by eight points from Duncan. Conversely, the Lakers went 8-of-23.

The NBA: 2013 Playoffs: Day 4 - Spicy Hot Curry

Steph Curry got his first win in the playoffs and the Warriors are going back to
Oakland with the series tied at 1-1 even without David Lee
(Image from: Doug Pensinger/SB Nation)

#PodiumGame @StephenCurry30
The Nuggets scored 117 at home but still lost to the Warriors by 14 points thanks to GSW's hot shooting on the floor: 65% overall, 56% on threes and 75% from the foul line. Steph Curry had a big game with 30 points and 13 assists while 3 of his teammates scored at least 21 points. The rookie Harrison Barnes played his best game of the season with 24 points including a nasty reverse dunk. The Nuggets had a balanced attack with 6 players in double figures but Kenneth Faried (4 points) was ineffective due to injury.

#3rdQuarter #Defense
The Celtics were leading by 6 at the half and scored 48 points. They finished with just 71 after scoring a measly 23 points in the 2nd half. In the Game 1 loss, they scored 25 points in the 2nd half. The Knicks went on a 32-11 scoring barrage in the 3rd quarter to put the game away. Jeff Green had a sub par game after leading the Celtics in their last game. Meanwhile, Carmelo and JR Smith continue to sizzle and lead the way for the Knicks. Their defense has been magnificent with Kenyon Martin providing interior presence while Jason Kidd, Raymond Felton and Iman Shumpert have done a decent job on the perimeter guys of Boston.

#BenchMob @DwyaneWade
The Bucks were within 3 at the start of the 4th quarter. They hung around and felt that they could steal Game 2. LBJ and the Heat bench would have none of that. In less than 150 seconds, Miami went on a 12-0 run and never looked back. Cole, Allen, Battier and Birdman played big roles in that quick spurt to put the Bucks to sleep. The bench scored 10 of the 12 points in that knockout run. During the first 3 quarters, D-Wade showed flashes of his old athletic self by jamming in 2 amazing dunks that have been rarely seen. Wade led the team in scoring with 21 points on 8-14 shooting to go with 7 rebounds and 3 assists.

#Stats #News

• The Nuggets lost for only the 4th time at home after having the best home record (38-3)
• The Warriors made 14-25 from deep
• LeBron and Wade are undefeated when their teams start 2-0 in the playoffs
• Ellis and Jennings combined for 15 points (they had 48 in Game 1)
• JR Smith matched the bench points of the Celtics at 19
• Melo is averaging 35 points and 1 assist in his 2 games
• Paul George of the Pacers was named Most Improved Player

#Highlights of the Night
Dwyane Wade looks healthy
Harrison Barnes with a wicked reverse
Melo driving past KG

#Player of the Night
Stephen Curry (Warriors) - 30 points, 5 rebounds, 13 assists & 3 steals

#Tweets of the Night

Tim Cowlishaw ‏@TimCowlishaw

Denver Nuggets lost 3 home games by total of 13 points THIS SEASON. Just lost to Warriors by 14.

chris palmer ‏@ESPNChrisPalmer

Reminder: Steph Curry is the best shooter on the planet.

#GameRecaps

Final Score: Miami 98, Milwaukee 86

Miami, FL (Sports Network) - Despite an off night from their two stars, the Milwaukee Bucks hung around. But all it took was one huge Miami Heat burst to squash any hopes of an upset. LeBron James had 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists in Miami's 98-86 win over the Bucks in Game 2 of this Eastern Conference first-round series. In the blink of an eye, the Heat went on a 12-0 run to begin the fourth to turn a three-point lead into a 15-point cushion. They never looked back. Dwyane Wade tallied 21 points and seven boards for the Heat, who took a 2-0 edge in the best-of-seven set. After combining for 48 points on 18-of-39 shooting in Game 1, Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis totaled just 15 points on a 5-of-22 clip. Neither player recorded a field goal (0-for-5) in the first half, but the Bucks trailed just 47-43 at the break. Ersan Ilyasova registered 21 points and six rebounds for Milwaukee, which will host Game 3 on Thursday.

Final Score: New York 87, Boston 71

New York, NY (Sports Network) - Carmelo Anthony scored a game-high 34 points and the New York Knicks used a strong third quarter to beat the Boston Celtics, 87-71, in Game 2 of this first-round Eastern Conference playoff series. The second-seeded Knicks shot 70.6 percent from the field in the third period while outscoring Boston by a 32-11 margin. The Celtics were held to 22.2 percent shooting in the stanza. Anthony also led the way for the Knicks Saturday in their 85-78 victory. He scored a game-high 36 points. J.R. Smith, the winner of this season's NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award, added 19 points on Tuesday for New York, which got 16 points and seven rebounds from Raymond Felton. Paul Pierce ended with 18 points, six rebounds and six assists for the Celtics, who held a 48-42 lead at the half. Kevin Garnett recorded a double-double with 12 points and 11 boards. Game 3 is scheduled for Friday night in Boston.

Final Score: Golden State 131, Denver 117

Denver, CO (Sports Network) - The hot-shooting Golden State Warriors handed the Denver Nuggets their first home loss since Jan. 18. Stephen Curry recorded a double-double with 30 points and 13 assists as the David Lee-less Warriors handled the Nuggets, 131-117, to even this first-round Western Conference playoff series at one game apiece. Jarrett Jack and Harrison Barnes added 26 and 24 points, respectively, for the sixth-seeded Warriors, who set a franchise playoff record by shooting 64.6 percent from the floor. The visitors also went 14-of-25 from beyond the arc. Klay Thompson tallied 21 points for Golden State, which lost Lee for the remainder of the playoffs in the fourth quarter of Saturday's Game 1 loss due to a complete tear of his right hip flexor. Ty Lawson had 19 points and 12 assists for the Nuggets, who had won 24 straight at home dating back to the regular season. Corey Brewer donated 19 points and Andre Iguodala and Andre Miller each tallied 18 points. The Nuggets took Game 1 by a 97-95 margin thanks to Miller's layup with 1.2 seconds remaining. Game 3 is scheduled for Friday night at Oracle Arena in Oakland.

The NBA: 2013 Playoffs: Day 1: Miller Time

Andre Miller made the game-winner in Game 1
(Image from: sbnation.com)

#Melo #turnovers
The Knicks get Game 1 versus the Celtics due to Carmelo's big game and the Knicks impressive defense in the 2nd half. The Knicks were trailing at the half by 4 points but they tightened up their defense especially in the 4th quarter. Jason Kidd led their defensive effort with numerous deflections and some steals. The Celtics scored 8 points in the last quarter and had 8 turnovers as well. Jeff Green had a good game with 26 points but his effort was wasted.

#MillerTime #OldManGame
Andre Miller was clutch during the 4th quarter. At one point, he scored 9 straight for the Nuggets and then he finished the game with a crafty game-winning layup. Miller went 11-16 and finished with 28 points and 5 assists. Miller was so good that he outscored the whole bench of the Warriors. This was Steph Curry's first taste of the playoffs and he struggled shooting early. Curry wasnt alone in that respect, Carl Landry and Jarrett Jack missed a bunch of shots too. David Lee left the  game after he hurt his hip.

#BrookWin #BullSh*t
The Brooklyn Nets won their playoffs debut at Barclays Center by annihilating the Chicago Bulls. The Nets were scorching hot during the 2nd quarter as they shot 16-20 from the field and scored 35 points. They led by 25 points at the half and the Bulls never got close. Chicago played horribly on the defensive end especially with Joakim Noah only playing 13 minutes due to a nagging injury. The Bulls simply had no effort and no energy. It got so bad for the Bulls that even Reggie Evans managed to score against Boozer in an isolation play.

#blowout #ReboundCity
The Grizzlies needed to control the glass to give themselves a chance in this series. They failed to do that by a wide margin as the Clippers pounded the boards to a tune of 47-23. The Clippers had a balanced attack where 7 players scored at least 10 points led by Chris Paul who finished with 23 points and 7 assists. The Grizzlies had less turnovers 7-13, but the rebounding discrepancy just shredded their chances of stealing Game 1. Can you believe that Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol (DPOY candidate) combined for 6 rebounds?

#Stats #News

• Knicks bench outscored Celtics 33-4
• Jason Kidd did not start the game but he played 35 minutes
• Miller scored 20 of his 28 in the 2nd half
• Curry made 4 threes to give him the lead (tied with Melo)
• Gerald Wallace scored 14 points, his highest output in 10 games
• Rip Hamilton played 7 unproductive minutes
• Rookie Ed Davis led the Grizzlies with 6 boards
• Clippers shot 55% from the field

#Highlights of the Night
JaVale McGee dunks on Andrew Bogut
Deron with a Nice Feed to Brook

#Tweet of the Night

Bill Simmons ‏@BillSimmons

Andre Miller old man pickup hoop move alert!!!!

#Game Recaps

Final Score: New York 85, Boston 78

New York, NY (Sports Network) - Carmelo Anthony's late-season scoring surge has carried into the playoffs. And the New York Knicks clamped down defensively in the second half, especially in the fourth. Anthony netted 36 points in the Knicks' 85-78 win over the Boston Celtics in Game 1 of this Eastern Conference first-round series. Anthony was 13-of-29 from the field and added six rebounds and four steals for the Knicks, who were swept by the Celtics in the first round two years ago. The Celtics were held to just eight points in the fourth, and 25 overall in the final 24 minutes. Boston shot just 25.9 percent in the second half -- 27.3 percent in the final frame. J.R. Smith netted 15 points, while Raymond Felton added 13 points and six assists in the win. New York held a 10-4 advantage on the offensive glass and a 12-6 edge in second-chance points. The Knicks tallied 20 points off 21 Boston turnovers. Jeff Green scored 20 of his 26 points in the first half and Paul Pierce registered 21 points and seven assists in defeat.

Final Score: Denver 97, Golden State 95

Denver, CO (Sports Network) - Andre Miller poured in a game-high 28 points, including the game-winning layup with 1.2 seconds remaining, to lift the Denver Nuggets to a 97-95 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Saturday in a Western Conference quarterfinal matchup at Pepsi Center. Golden State superstar Stephen Curry connected on a 3-pointer from the left corner to tie the game with 14.5 seconds remaining, but Miller answered at the other end, as the crafty veteran drove to his left before switching to his right and finishing a layup to send the Nuggets to their 24th consecutive home victory. Ty Lawson tallied 12 points, while Wilson Chandler chipped in 11 points and 13 rebounds for the third-seeded Nuggets, who have won 24 of their last 27 games overall. Evan Fournier got the start in place of forward Kenneth Faried, who was in uniform, but did not play due to a left ankle problem. Fournier finished with 11 points. Klay Thompson paced the Warriors with 22 points, while Curry contributed 19 points and nine assists for Golden State, which earned the sixth seed in the West and is in the postseason for the first time since 2006-07. David Lee added 10 points and 14 boards, but left early in the fourth quarter and did not return after sustaining a probable right hip flexor strain.

Final Score: Brooklyn 106, Chicago 89

Brooklyn, NY (Sports Network) - The Nets displayed dominating basketball in their first playoff game in Brooklyn, while taking advantage of a Chicago Bulls team that continued to play without their standout point guard. Deron Williams scored 22 points and Brook Lopez added 21, as the Nets dominated the Bulls, 106-89, in the opener of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series. Joe Johnson totaled 16 points, while Reggie Evans pulled down 13 rebounds for the fourth-seeded Nets, who gained their first postseason win since May 16, 2007, a Game 5 victory over the Cavaliers in Cleveland in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Bulls point guard Derrick Rose remained out as he recovers from a torn ACL suffered in last year's playoffs. Chicago coach Tom Thibodeau said Rose is "most likely out" for the rest of the postseason. Without Rose and with All-Star center Joakim Noah hampered by plantar fasciitis, the Bulls were no match for the Nets. Carlos Boozer had 25 points and Nate Robinson scored 17 in a reserve role, but the Bulls allowed the Nets bolt to a 25-point halftime lead and shoot 55.8 percent for the game. The second contest of this best-of-seven series is Monday, again at Barclays Center.

Final Score: LA Clippers 112, Memphis 91

Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Chris Paul directed the offense to the tune of 23 points and seven assists, and the Los Angeles Clippers dominated on the glass to beat the Memphis Grizzlies, 112-91, in the opener of their Western Conference quarterfinal series. Eric Bledsoe scored 13 of his 15 points in the final quarter when the Clippers went 15-of-22 from the field and held a 37-22 scoring advantage. The Clippers placed seven players in double figures, including Chauncey Billups with 14 in the rematch of this first-round series from a year ago. The Clippers topped Memphis in seven games in 2012. The team known as "Lob City" for having two of the three top players in dunks for the season, the Clippers had just one jam all night, that from DeAndre Jordan in the fourth quarter. Yet, the Clippers managed to pull away down the stretch. Jerryd Bayless had 19 points off the bench for the Grizzlies, who also received 16 points and seven assists from Marc Gasol. Memphis was beaten on the glass, 47-23. Game 2 of this best-of-seven set is Monday, again at Staples Center.