CHI over IND, 88-84 (CHI up 3-0)
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| image by Andy Lyons of Getty Images |
The Chicago Bulls were more thorny than rosy in Game 3, but they still managed to survive the Indiana Pacers. Derrick Rose, who averaged nearly 38 points in Games 1 & 2, was “held” to “just” 23 points on 4-of-18 shooting. He still proved, however, to be more than capable of beating the guys from the Hoosier state. His lay-up with barely 18 ticks left lifted Tom Thibodeau’s team to a commanding 3-0 series lead. Bulls fans shouldn’t expect the Pacers to simply fold though, as each game has been tight. Despite being up in the series, this doesn’t really speak volumes of the Bulls' championship chances as nobody save for Kyle Korver has really stepped up big time to support D-Rose.
MIA over PHI, 100-94 (MIA up 3-0)
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| image by Rob Carr of Getty Images |
When Miami’s Big 3 play as advertised, few teams can trade punches with them swing for swing. Doug Collins’s Philadelphia 76ers is not supposed to be one of those teams, though the score belies that fact. The Sixers were game and scrappy, but against the Heat? Game and scrappy just won’t cut it anymore. Especially not with Dunkadelic Flight-361 combining for 75 points, and with AI netting only 10 markers on 3-10 shooting. At the end of the game, all Collins had to say was , “I’m a moral person, but I don’t like moral victories.” Too bad coach, because that’s the only kind of victory you’ll probably get in the foreseeable future.
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| image by the AP |
POR over DAL, 97-92 (DAL up 2-1)
Brandon Roy just made things interesting out west. He didn’t top score for the Blazers (that was Wesley Matthews with 25), but he did contribute 16 points off the pine two days after lamenting about not getting enough minutes. Jason Terry, who got snubbed for the 6th man trophy, led Dallas with 29 points while Jason Kidd and Peja Stojakovic finally cooled down with only 8 and 7 points respectively. The season series between these two teams was split, and, by all indications at least, it looks like the Blazers will get another split after Game 4.
JR Smith is Streaky
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| image from http://fantasybasketballbreakdown.blogspot.com |
Yes, we all know he has a streaky shot, but he also has a streaky grill. And he sure didn’t shut it when asked whether he’d stay on for next season.
His words after falling 0-2 against the Thunder: "It's not going the way I planned it to go. It's a tough situation. I want to be here, I love the fans and everything about the city. It's just maybe not my fit."
He wasn’t exactly ranting to the high heavens, but he doesn’t have to. It’s pretty clear he’s not happy, and that he already has his mind roving elsewhere. Will he even continue his electric, if erratic, play?
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