SPORTS N STUFF

CBSSports.com wire reports
May 17, 2012

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Kevin Durant scored 22 points and rattled in the go-ahead basket on a baseline runner with 18 seconds left, and the Thunder scored the final nine points to rally for a 77-75 victory against the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals Wednesday night.

More on Lakers-Thunder Analysis Royce Young
No longer inexperienced, the Thunder are showing championship toughness Related links Andrew Bynum fined $15,000 NBA fines Lakers F Ebanks $25,000 NBA Expert Picks: Conference Semifinals Playoff schedule Team updates: Lakers | Thunder Video Durant drains game-winning shot Kobe Bryant fails down the stretch More NBA coverage Latest news | On Twitter | Subscribe to newsletter

Oklahoma City trailed by seven with 2 minutes left before surging back with a series of defensive stops by its stars to claw back from that deficit in the closing stages of a game for the second time this postseason. The Thunder were also seven down with 2½ minutes left in Game 1 against defending NBA champion Dallas in the first round.

“They wont quit. Thats not in their DNA,” coach Scott Brooks said. “Theyre not wired that way and if they were, they wouldnt be here. Were not going to win every game but were going to fight to the last second of the game and we did that tonight.

“If we would have gotten down on ourselves with two minutes to go, we would have lost by 12 and we would go to L.A. 1-1.”

Instead, Oklahoma City will take a 2-0 lead into Game 3 on Friday night at Staples Center.

Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum scored 20 points apiece for the Lakers, who came up empty on their last six possessions after Bynums hook shot made it 75-68 with 2:09 remaining.

After struggling throughout the second half and missing 20 of their first 27 shots, the Thunder suddenly came alive after Brooks called timeout following Bynums basket that gave Los Angeles its largest lead of the game.

James Harden drove for a layup before Durant used his height advantage to reach up and tip away a pass from Bryant, who he was guarding. Durant ran out for a right-handed dunk at the other end before Russell Westbrook forced another turnover by aggressively challenging an outlet pass to Bryant along the sideline.

Harden made the next stop, blocking Bryants jumper on the next Lakers possession and getting a layup in transition off it to cut the deficit to one in the final minute.

Bryant couldnt connect again, this time on a 3-pointer, to give the Thunder the ball back with the chance to take the lead and Durant was able to make it happen.

“I wish it was my magical words. All I told the guys was, Were down seven. You dont have to play perfect basketball but we better come pretty close, ” Brooks said.

Steve Blake missed an open 3-pointer from the right side with about 5 seconds left after Metta World Peace couldnt get the ball to Bryant on the inbounds play.

Brown said he thought Bryant was open on the back side of th agreeing that Bryant was supposed to be the first option.

“Blake was wide open. We didnt have any timeouts left and he got a clean look, a really good look,” World Peace said. “He can knock that down.”

Durant was then fouled with 0.3 seconds left and made h failing to hit the backboard or rim for a violation.

The Lakers got a desperation try but World Peaces long pass for Bynum was intercepted by Harden.

“What they did the last few minutes there, they just made gambles,” Bryant said. “They just jumped in the passing lanes. Its something that were not accustomed to seeing. Its just flat-out risks defensively.”

Historically, the loss makes a huge difference. Los Angeles is 29-12 when splitting the first two games of a seven-game series and has lost 17 of 19 when falling into a 2-0 hole. The Lakers last comeback was in the 2004 West semifinals against San Antonio.

The Thunder have won all nine of their series after leading 2-0, dating back to the franchises days in Seattle.

“Its not good. I dont think anybodys happy in there [in the locker room],” coach Mike Brown said. “We felt like we let one slip away.”

Bryant was right at the heart of the meltdown, missing two shots and having a hand in two turnovers in the final 2 minutes. The first turnover came when Durant used his nearly 7-foot frame and impressive wingspan to come up with an energizing steal and fast-break chance.

“He used his length on Kobe. Coming up with that steal was huge,” Brown said. “Thats what great players are supposed to do. Theyre supposed to take on the challenge at the end of the game and he did.

“He won the game for them, basically.”

Westbrook added 15 points for Oklahoma City, which matched its lowest scoring total of the season but still gutted out the victory. The Thunder had ripped apart the Lakers defense with their pick-and-roll attack in Game 1, scoring 119 points in a 29-point blowout.

“We dominated defensively,” Bynum said. “We stopped them, made them play through their bigs and turn the ball over. In the last two minutes, we gave the game away.”

In a game that was nip-and-tuck throughout, the Lakers started inching away early in the fourth quarter while Westbrook was on the bench.

Bryant drilled a jumper from the left wing and Blake followed with a 3-pointer before World Peace hit one of two free the Lakers largest lead to that point.

Westbrook returned then but only provided the briefest of sparks for the struggling Oklahoma made it 75-68 with 2:09 to play.

Until that point, Oklahoma City had more turnovers (eight) than made baskets (seven) in the second half after committing an uncharacteristically low four turnovers in Game 1.

Notes

The NBA on Wednesday fined Devin Ebanks $25,000 for actions related to his Game 1 ejection and Bynum $15,000 for failing to speak to reporters Tuesday. Bynum, who has had recent disciplinary issues within the team, talked at the Lakers morning shootaround Wednesday and called it a make up for skipping the previous day. “I think hes learning. Is he going to be a perfect citizen the rest of his career? I dont know,” Brown said. “Hes bound to make mistakes. I think everybody makes mistakes.” World Peace has said he supported Brooks to become Sacramentos coach back in 2007, when Brooks had been an assistant under Eric Musselman. “Little does he know, if I would have got the job, I was going to ask for him to be traded,” Brooks joked. He then called World Peace, or Ron Artest at the time, the third-best two-way player at the time behind Bryant and Kevin Garnett. Harden caught World Peace with an inadvertent elbow to the face in the first quarter.

CBSSports.com wire reports
May 16, 2012

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and making matters worse, theyre even a little more beat-up than when they got here.

More on Clippers-Spurs Related links Report Card: Spurs earn top marks Blake Griffin responds to flopping charges NBA Expert Picks: Conference Semifinals Playoff schedule Team updates: Clippers | Spurs More NBA coverage Latest news | On Twitter | Subscribe to newsletter

Tim Duncan had 26 points and 10 rebounds following an eight-day layoff for the top-seeded Spurs, who wore down Los Angeles in the Clippers sixth game in 11 days and won Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinals series, 108-92 on Tuesday night.

“Its hard to tell if they were tired or not. If we were rusty or not,” Spurs guard Manu Ginobili said. “The game just developed that way it did.”

By that, he meant the latest Spurs blowout.

The Spurs have won 15 in a row, havent lost in more than a month and are winning by an average margin of nearly 17 points during that span. Its the longest winning streak sustained in the NBA playoffs since the 2004 Spurs carried 17 straight wins into the second round that season.

That Spurs team, however, wound up dropping four straight to the Lakers and lost that series. The Clippers have a lot of work to do if theyre going to stage a similar stunner, and a good start would be getting healthy.

Blake Griffin scored 15 points in 28 minutes a day after estimating his sprained left knee had him feeling “80 percent” at best. The All-Star said he became tired quicker than usual, and also turned his left ankle early in the game.

“But Ill get back in the training room, get treatment and hope to be better the next game,” Griffin began with a fizzle.

Paul, who ended the first round with an aching hip, scored just six points and didnt make a single basket in the second half. Parker was barely any batter, putting together seven points and 11 assists, and didnt talk to reporters after the game.

Paul did face the media after his worst playoff game since scoring four points in a loss to Denver in 2009. But not until after a quick chat with his young son.

“Good game, Daddy,” Pauls son said in the locker room.

“No, bad game,” Paul told him. “Daddy had a bad game. Daddy couldnt make a shot.”

Paul, who was 3 of 13 from the floor, gave a more elaborate explanation to reporters.

“I felt I got all the shots that I wanted. I just didnt make them,” Paul said. “Thats the most frustrating part. Getting to where I wanted to and not seeing them go down. Cant do that in the playoffs.”

Game 2 is Thursday night.

That gives the be which is all the time theyve had to recover between games for the past week and a half. Los Angeles couldnt even fly home first after knocking out the Grizzlies on Sunday in Game 7 of a grueling series that had the Clippers hobbling next to Texas.

Rookie Kawhi Leonard added 16 points, hitting all three of his 3s, and Danny Green added 15 points for the Spurs.

Caron Butler scored 15 points and Nick Young had 13 for the Clippers. Los Angeles cut the deficit to single digits with a 10-burst in the fourth quarter before San Antonio ran away with its 11th double-digit victory during this dominating winning streak.

The Clippers didnt even need San Antonios help getting more bumps and bruises: Mo Williams, already playing with his sore right fingers taped, took a lump on the head when teammate Reggie Evans kicked him with an errant foot after Williams fell on his back in the lane.

Williams wobbled when he tried standing, sat back down, and the Clippers burned a timeout. He never left the game, but the Clippers werent getting any fresher.

Parker, meanwhile, finally felt the hard knocks and slow-him-down shoves that Utah repeatedly promised but never delivered in the first round. Sometimes, the All-Star looked in vain to officials when the whistle didnt blow. When that didnt work once in the first quarter, he kept jabbering about a no-call on the last possession while lining up to shoot free throws on the current one.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, pacing and sensing an impending technical foul, silenced his leading scorer.

“Tony!” Popovich snapped from the sideline. “Shoot!” </ he was under control. But his frustrations didnt end there. He was 1 for 9 despite playing 38 minutes, scoring all but two of his points at the foul line.

“He didnt score, but he got 11 assists,” Ginobili said. “Thats who we are. Sometimes its not going to be him.”

Notes

The Spurs tied a franchise playoff record with 13 3-pointers.Before this became the deepest Spurs team yet under Popovich, Butler said he came so close to signing with the Spurs after the lockout that he canceled a flight to San Antonio when the Clippers counteroffered. “They made a great pitch,” Butler said. Leonard finished fourth in the Rookie of the Year voting, the highest finish for a Spurs player since Ginobili finished fourth in 2003. Said Popovich: “Hes done a good enough job to make me trust him to be in the starting lineup. Im happy for him.”

CBSSports.com wire reports
May 14, 2012

var ua = jQuery.browser; if (!( ua.msie && (ua.version.slice(0,1) == “7″ || ua.version.slice(0,1) == “8″))) { window.fbAsyncInit = function() { FB.init({}); FB.Event.subscribe(edge.create, function(response) { DW.levt(ria, log, {siteid: 175, mapp: social_share_bar, comptyp: app, comp: main, riaevent: click, objtyp: button, objnm: facebook_share}); }); }; (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = “//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1″; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, script, facebook-jssdk)); } else{ document.getEle Not this time, Celtics.

After letting another fourth-quarter lead slip away in Boston, Philadelphia took it right back and held on to it, fighting off every run the Celtics made down the stretch for an 82-81 victory Monday night to even the Eastern Conference second-round series at one game apiece.

“We knew to expect the same type of game,” said Evan Turner, whose layup with 40.4 seconds to play put Philadelphia ahead to stay. “We did what we needed to do to win this game, just like we didnt the first time around.”

More on 76ers-Celtics Analysis Jeff Goodman
Lessons learned help Sixers win Game 2, regain some swagger Related links Moore: Sixers Turner plays The Villain David Stern acknowledges flopping is a problem NBA Expert Picks: Conference Semifinals Playoff schedule Team updates: 76ers | Celtics Video Controversial call on Garnett costs Celtics Celtics Bradley re-injures shoulder, returns to game More NBA coverage Latest news | On Twitter | Subscribe to newsletter

Turners layup gave the Sixers a 76-75 lead and Philadelphia clinched it by going 6 for 6 from the free throw line over the final 12 seconds.

“We just found a way,” Philadelphia coach Doug Collins said. “All season long we couldnt win these games and now our guys are believing they can do it. And it is pretty special to watch.”

Turner finished with 10 points, Jrue Holiday scored 18 and Andre Iguodala added 13 points, seven assists and six rebounds for the Sixers, who blew a 10-point fourth quarter lead as the Celtics won Game 1.

Philadelphia failed to hang on to the lead again, but this time the Sixers outplayed the Celtics down the stretch.

Game 3 will be Wednesday in Philadelphia.

Philadelphia won its first playoff game in Boston since 1982 despite committing a playoff-high 19 turnovers and getting outrebounded 47-36.

“Were keeping our composure. Were keeping our confidence and know its going to be grind-out games,” Iguodala said.

Every time the Celtics appeared to have regained the momentum, the Sixers came up with an answer. After trailing by eight points entering the fourth quarter, Bostons Kevin Garnett tied it at 65-all on a turnaround jumper with 4:33 to play. The Celtics had the Sixers on the verge of a turnover when Paul Pierce blocked Lou Williams and the ball went out of bounds with only 0.9 seconds left on the shot clock.

No problem.

Lavoy Allen got the inbounds pass and banked in a shot from 22 feet and the Sixers were back in the lead.

“Well, the clock was down to point-nine seconds. I did what I could,” Allen said.

Garnett scored 11 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter and finished with 12 rebounds. Ray Allen scored 17 points for Boston.

Brandon Bass had 12 points for the Celtics, who couldnt quite repeat their comeback in the series-opening 92-91 victory.

“Listen, we put ourselves in that position,” Boston coach Doc Rivers said. “You put yourself in position to let someone else do something, then you can lose games and thats what happened.”

Philadelphia led 57-49 entering the fourth, but Boston tied it twice before going up 72-71 on Avery Bradleys 3-pointer, setting off a series of shots from beyond the arc.

Holiday answered with a 3 for the Sixers, then Ray Allen got the lead right back for the Celtics on a 3-pointer with 1:40 left. The Celtics had a chance to extend the lead after forcing the Sixers into a 24-second shot clock violation, but Rajon Rondo missed a shot and Iguodala got the rebound, leading to Turners layup to put the Sixers up 76-75 with 40.4 seconds to go.

“We gave them a couple shots that if we could get back we would love to have back,” Allen said.

Rondo and Allen both missed shots that would have put Boston ahead, then Rondo fouled Turner with 14.4 seconds left. The Celtics fouled Turner again with 12 seconds and he hit both free throws to extend the lead to 78-76.

Fans grew restless as the second half opened with sloppy, choppy play by both teams. Boston led 38-36 at halftime and nearly seven minutes into the third quarter, the score was 43-41 with the Celtics still ahead.

When the shots finally started falling, they were all for Philadelphia. The Sixers scored 14 consecutive points, turning a 47-43 deficit into a 57-47 lead in the final minute of the period. Boston went without a point for 4:40, finally scoring when Pierce made two free throws with 2.4 seconds left in the period.

The Celtics committed seven turnovers during the quarter and made only 4 of 17 shots.

“We knew itd be a close game. We just needed to get stops down the stretch and we didnt,” said Pierce, who finished with only seven points. “The third quarter really hurt us. We couldnt score, and then Turner made some tough shots down the stretch.”

Spencer Hawes finished with eight points and 10 rebounds and Lavoy Allen scored 10 points for the Sixers.

Notes

The Celtics scored the first nine points. Boston made its first five shots, not missing until Hawes blocked Bradleys attempt 3:24 into the game. Rondo had eight assists in the first half, including alley-oop setups for Greg Stiemsma and Ryan Hollins, who had to reach behind his head for the pass but still corralled it for the two-handed dunk to put the Celtics up 33-29. Holiday led Philadelphia with 13 points in the first half. He was the only Sixer to score in double figures in the first two periods. Hawes was the next closest with six points. The Sixers had lost their previous seven playoff games in Boston, last winning on May 23, 1982, in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals.

CBSSports.com wire reports
May 13, 2012

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Kenyon Martin scored seven of his 11 points in the fourth quarter, and the Clippers advanced to the Western Conference semifinals with an 82-72 victory against the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 7 on Sunday.

“Thats why its seven games,” Martin said. “If you dont do it before, you get another chance. So they did what they had to do, they came and stole home court back on our floor. … We had a chance to close it out. We knew we let it go, an opportunity get away.”

More on Clippers-Grizzlies Column Gary Parrish
Clippers ditch adversity, advance; Grizz wonder what might have been Related links Moore: Grizz fail to grind out decisive win Moore: Where does Memphis go from here? Expert Picks: Western Conference semis More NBA coverage Latest news | On Twitter | Subscribe to newsletter

The Clippers blew an eight-point lead in the fourth quarter Friday night. So Martin huddled the Clippers together at the start of the fourth quarter Sunday, and the veteran led the bench in outscoring the Grizzlies 25-16. Chris Paul had the only bucket by a starter in the final 12 minutes, and the Clippers bench outscored the Memphis reserves 41-11 overall.

“Our bench was our MVP,” Clippers guard Randy Foye said. “They realized what they had to do. We had a lot of guys hurt, so we just continued to grind.”

Now, the Clippers have their third postseason series victory in 41 years and their second since relocating to Los Angeles. They beat Denver in 2006. The Clippers also avoided becoming the ninth NBA team to blow a 3-1 lead in a best-of-7 series in moving on to play the top-seeded Spurs starting Tuesday night in San Antonio.

“I want the guys to enjoy this, and then well regroup tomorrow and focus in on that,” Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro said. “But obviously another big challenge for us.”

Paul scored 19 points despite playing with a strained right hip flexor. Nick Young had nine of his 13 off the bench in the fourth as the Clippers finished off the series with their biggest margin of victory. Paul was so confident of victory he bought plane tickets for his wife and son to San Antonio on Saturday.

“I felt like we should have won earlier,” Paul said. “But it doesnt matter. As long as you win, I think it is a step in the right direction for our franchise.

Rudy Gay and Marc Gasol each had 19 for Memphis, which lost a Game 7 at Oklahoma City a year ago in the second round of the playoffs. Zach Randolph had a game-high 12 rebounds.

“Unfortunately, no one on the bench stepped up and helped us,” Memphis coach Lionel Hollins said.

The Clippers, who trailed 56-55 after three quarters, took control by opening the fourth with an 11-2 run started by a jumper by Martin. He tipped in a shot for a 66-58 lead with 8:41 left. Mo Williams matched the Clippers biggest lead to that point at 10 with a 3-pointer pushing it to 71-61 with 7:04 left in a 16-5 spurt to open the quarter.

“They hit shots in a hurry,” Gay said of the Clippers. “They made plays off our turnovers, and they just converted, something we werent doing at that time.”

Los Angeles finished off the victory by hitting 9 of 10 free throws in the final 3:26. The Clippers also managed to outrebound the Grizzlies 46-44 for only the second time this series.

Memphis got away from the inside-out approach that won the last two games. The Grizzlies outscored the Clippers 36-24, but Randolph said they took far too many jumpers instead of feeding the ball to Gasol and himself.

“You have to take your hats off to them because they played good,” Randolph said of the Clippers. Chris had a good game, and their bench played terrific.”

The home-court advantage that didnt help the Grizzlies when they blew a 27-point lead in Game 1 didnt help again Sunday as they went cold from the floor. Gasols one-handed dunk with 3:09 left was Memphis last field goal down the stretch as the Grizzlies hit only 4 of 18 in the fourth quarter and finished the game missing all 13 3-pointers.

This series has been physical and grinding from the opening tip, and neither team backed down in a winner-take-all game.

The Clippers and Grizzlies scrapped and fought for every ball with each possession feeling like a knockdown, drag-out fight. Memphis should have had an advantage against the hobbled Clippers tipping off when they usually eat breakfast on the West Coast. Blake Griffin scored only eight points and looked tentative most of the game with a sprained left knee.

Del Negro said Griffins knee tightened up on him as the game went on, and Griffin played only 1:39 of the fourth quarter. Not that it mattered the way the Clippers bench came through.

The Grizzlies even brought out wrestler Jerry Lawler to help stoke up the sold-out crowd, but both teams showed the fatigue of a quick turnaround from Game 6 on Friday night in Los Angeles. The Clippers missed nine of their first 10 shots, while the Grizzlies missed seven of nine.

“It was Game 7 pressure and jitters,” Hollins said. “We wanted to do well. We just wanted to let it rip. You walk up here and have two strikes on you in the ninth inning and you have to let it rip. And we didnt.”

The Clippers shook off the exhaustion thanks to their bench.

The Grizzlies managed to pull within 39-38 at halftime even though they kept struggling to find the basket. Mike Conley missed his first seven shots with his drought stretching to the free throw line where he missed his first attempt. Conley didnt hit his first bucket until a jumper in the early seconds of the third quarter. Conley finished with seven points on 2 of 13 shooting.

Notes

Del Negro now is 1-1 in Game 7s, losing his first in the 2009 first-round while coaching Chicago against Boston. Hollins now is 0-2 in Game 7s. Griffin finished playing 28 minutes and was 3 of 11 from the floor. He had four rebounds. The Grizzlies shot 32.5 percent (25 of 77) from the floor, their worst percentage of the series.

CBSSports.com wire reports
May 12, 2012

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This time, he went in the opposite direction.

The Celtics point guard ran into the backcourt, grabbing the inbounds pass in stride, avoiding a foul and dribbling out the final 3.4 seconds to clinch Bostons 92-91 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night in the opener of their Eastern Conference semifinal series.

“I feel like I could out-quick him. Thats what I did,” Rondo said. “We knew they had a foul to give. I told Doc [Rivers] to get me the ball and I could use my speed.”

Rondo had 17 assists, 13 points and 12 rebounds for his eighth career playoff triple-double. He had six points, five assists and four rebounds in the fourth quarter, when the Celtics went on a 23-7 run to turn a double-digit deficit into a six-point lead with 78 seconds to play.

More on Sixers-Celtics Columns Jeff Goodman
Celtics veterans come through when it counts against youthful Sixers Related links Rondo closes Game 1 with two smart plays Expert Picks: Eastern Conference semifinals More NBA coverage Latest news | On Twitter | Subscribe to newsletter

“Hes an amazing player. He really is,” Sixers coach Doug Collins said. “He takes that ball wherever he wants to take it on th and added 11 rebounds to help Boston maintain home-court advantage in the best-of-7, second-round series. Game 2 is Monday night in Boston before the series shifts to Philadelphia for Games 3 and 4.

“If youve watched us all season, were not going to drop our heads,” Collins said. “We live to come back and fight just as hard in Game 2, at least as long as Im the coach.”

Andre Iguodala scored 19 points and Evan Turner had 16 with 10 rebounds for Philadelphia, which advanced to the second round for the first time since 2003 by beating East No. 1 seed Chicago. But Turner couldnt catch Rondo in the final seconds when Philadelphia had a foul to give.

“Rondo just leaps out. Thats the last thing on your mind: him going into our side of the court,” Iguodala said. “You could have a turnover down there. Its a gamble, but its a good play. … We could have done a better job scoping it out.”

The Sixers led 77-67 with 11 minutes to play before Boston scored 23 of the next 30 points, with Rondo making a jumper to cut it to 80-79, then another two minutes later to give Boston an 83-82 lead with 3:47 to play.

After Spencer Hawes basket from the right baseline put the Sixers up 84-83, Rondo drove to the basket and, with his path blocked, turned and handed the ball to Garnett. He banked one in and drew the foul to give Boston a two-point lead, then added another jumper.

After misses by Turner and Lou Williams, Paul Pierce hit a fall-away jumper the Celtics biggest of the night.

Boston still led by five when Jrue Holiday made a jumper, then Rondo fouled him with 3.4 seconds left and he made both foul shots. Boston inbounded the ball from between the benches, and Rondo sprinted back into the backcourt and outran Turner to the wrong basket as the time expired.

Pierce, who had a sprained MCL in his left knee, scored 14 points on 3-for-11 shooting. Rondo was only 6 for 15 from the floor, but he was 3 for 6 in the fourth quarter, adding five rebounds and four assists.

Hawes scored 13 of his 15 points in the second half.

Both teams advanced by winning their first-round series in six games: Boston beat Atlanta, and Philadelphia eliminated the Bulls to become the fifth No. 8 seed to eliminate a No. 1. They got only one day off before beginning the second round in Boston, where the Celtics earned their only victory against the Sixers this year.

The Sixers scored the first seven points of the game and led by 10 at the end of the first quarter, when Boston shot 30 percent. It was 45-32 when Boston scored 10 of the last 12 points in the half, with Rondo picking up four assists and a steal in the final 3 minutes before the break.

A little more than two minutes into the third, Avery Bradley outraced Rondo to a long rebound and took it in, splitting defenders Iguodala and Holiday for the reverse layup that made it 48-47 – Bostons first lead of the game. Philadelphia quickly retook the lead and extended it to eight points.

Notes

Garnett scored eight points on 4-for-6 shooting in the first quarter and was the only Celtics starter to make a basket in the first. Ray Allen, who was 1 for 7 from the floor in Game 6 of the Atlanta series while struggling with bone spurs in his right ankle, was 3 for 5 in 14 minutes in the first half on Saturday. Celtics co-owner Steve Pagliuca ventured over to the media section to say hello to former player Brian Scalabrine, who was working for Comcast SportsNet. The Celtics were 2-for-18 from 3-point range. Philadelphia won the two games at home, including a 32-point victory on March 7. None of the three regular-season meetings between the teams was close.

CBSSports.com wire reports
May 10, 2012

var ua = jQuery.browser; if (!( ua.msie && (ua.version.slice(0,1) == “7″ || ua.version.slice(0,1) == “8″))) { window.fbAsyncInit = function() { FB.init({}); FB.Event.subscribe(edge.create, function(response) { DW.levt(ria, log, {siteid: 175, mapp: social_share_bar, comptyp: app, comp: main, riaevent: click, objtyp: button, objnm: facebook_share}); }); }; (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = “//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1″; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, script, facebook-jssdk)); } else{ document.getEle Call him old.

Call him dirty. and that didnt work out very well for the Atlanta Hawks in their first-round playoff series against the Boston Celtics.

Upset by comments from a Hawks owner calling him “the dirtiest guy in the league,” Garnett responded with 28 points and 14 rebounds to give the Celtics an 83-80 victory in Game 6 on Thursday night that eliminated Atlanta.

“Thank you to their owner for giving me some extra gas tonight,” Garnett said. “My only advice to him is next time he opens his mouth to know what hes talking about with Xs and Os vs. checkbooks and bottom lines.”

The Celtics will open the Eastern Conference semifinals on Saturday in Boston against the Philadelphia 76ers, who eliminated East No. 1 seed Chicago in six games with a 79-78 victory earlier Thursday.

More on Hawks-Celtics Analysis Jeff Goodman
With Celtics window closing, Garnett proves he still has something left Matt Moore
Hawks continue stay in purgatory; Where do they go from here? Related links Garnett responds to dirty accusation Celts helped by controversial call Expert picks: First round Playoff schedule Team updates: Celtics | Hawks More NBA coverage Latest news | On Twitter | Subscribe to newsletter

“At least we dont have to travel,” said Celtics coach Doc Rivers, who had hoped to be playing a day or two later. “Id rather be going to Game 1 here than Game 7 in Atlanta.”

Garnett topped his regular-season high of 25 points and had five blocks and three steals for Boston. Paul Pierce had 18 points despite playing with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee, and Rajon Rondo had 14 points and eight assists.

But Garnett, who turns 36 this month, was the star, defying age and a reputation that led Hawks co-owner Michael Gearon Jr. to say within earshot of the : “They are old. I know what happens when you play basketball, old guys foul. Garnett is the dirtiest guy in the league.”

Garnett responded on the court, hitting a jumper with 31 seconds left to give Boston the lead for good.

Then he responded off it.

“I just found that comment to be a little rude and a little out of hand and I wanted to address it,” he said. “Just because youve got a lot of money doesnt mean you can open your mouth.”

Josh Smith had 19 points and nine rebounds for Atlanta, which failed to advance in the playoffs for the first time in four years. Joe Johnson had 17 points, Marvin Williams added 16 and eight rebounds and Al Horford had 15 points and nine rebounds.

But Horford missed the first of two foul shots with 2.3 seconds left after he was tackled by Marquis Daniels to avoid an easy dunk that would have tied the game. After he made the second, the Celtics got the ball to Pierce, who was fouled and made both free throws.

Boston has won at least one playoff series every year since the new Big 3 was assembled in the summer of 2007.

“The one thing about the Celtics is those guys know how to win,” Williams said. “After winning [Game 5] down in Atlanta with our backs against the wall, we knew it was going to be tough coming up here. I thought we did a really good job putting ourselves in position to win down the stret near the end of the third quarter when the final play of the Sixers-Bulls game was shown on the scoreboa the Celtics will have home-court advantage against eighth-seeded Philadelphia.

The Hawks went 5 minutes without scoring early in the fourth quarter as the Celtics turned a two-point game into a 74-65 lead. But Atlanta scored 10 of the next 12 points, with Horford scoring the last three baskets, making it a one-point game on an alley-oop pass from Smith with 3:52 left.

Smith faked at the top of the key and went right down the lane for a dunk that gave Atlanta its first lead of the second half, 77-76. Horford drove to the basket to give the Hawks a three-point lead.

Atlanta still led 79-78 when Garnett made a turnaround jumper in the lane over Smith to put Boston ahead by one. Smith missed a long rainbow jumper and Ray Allen got the rebound with 10 seconds left, but he made only one of two free throws.

Johnson drove to the basket but Pierce blocked his shot and Garnett tipped it out of bounds with 3.1 seconds left. The Hawks got the ball to Horford in the lane but as he went up for the dunk or layup, Daniels, who played just one minute in the game, wrapped him up and kept him from scoring.

The first foul shot went off the rim, costing Atlanta a chance to tie.

Notes

Pierce injured the knee during Sunday mornings shootaround and hurt it again when he tried to get around a screen set by Smith during Game 4 that night. Rivers became just the third coach in Celtics history to record 50 postseason victories, joining Red Auerbach (90) and K.C. Jones (65). New England Patriots defensive lineman Vince Wilfork was at the game. The Hawks lost to the Celtics in the first round of the 2008 playoffs, a series that went seven games. Boston went on to win its NBA-record 17th championship. Allen, the NBAs all-time 3-point leader, was 1 for 7 from beyond the arc. The Hawks are 1-11 in playoff series against Boston. They last beat the Celtics as the St. Louis Hawks to win the 1958 NBA title. Rondo had three assists and two baskets during a 16-0 run in the second quarter. Pierce, who came back off the bench in the middle of the run, had five points and a steal over the span of four minutes.

CBSSports.com wire reports
May 10, 2012

var ua = jQuery.browser; if (!( ua.msie && (ua.version.slice(0,1) == “7″ || ua.version.slice(0,1) == “8″))) { window.fbAsyncInit = function() { FB.init({}); FB.Event.subscribe(edge.create, function(response) { DW.levt(ria, log, {siteid: 175, mapp: social_share_bar, comptyp: app, comp: main, riaevent: click, objtyp: button, objnm: facebook_share}); }); }; (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = “//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1″; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, script, facebook-jssdk)); } else{ document.getElementById The Memphis Grizzlies believe they finally played their grinding, bruising style of basketball in the playoffs.

Just in time too.

Marc Gasol scored 23 points and Zach Randolph added 19 as the Grizzlies avoided elimination by beating the Los Angeles Clippers 92-80 on Wednesday night, forcing a Game 6 in the Western Conference first-round series.

“Weve had our backs against the wall. We still have them,” said Gasol, who had his best game in this series. “We havent done anything yet, and we want to take it back to L.A. and give them another big battle.”

With Gasol and Randolph scoring early, the Grizzlies looked like the team that knocked off top-seeded San Antonio last spring and took Oklahoma City to seven games in the conference semifinals as they pulled within 3-2 in this series.

More on Clippers-Grizzlies Analysis Gary Parrish
Grizzlies, listen to Z-Bos daughter and give Randolph the ball Related links Griffin hyperflexes knee | Paul reinjures groin Expert picks: First round Playoff schedule Team updates: Clippers | Grizzlies More NBA coverage Latest news | On Twitter | Subscribe to newsletter

Game 6 is Friday night in Los Angeles. If the Grizzlies can win, Game 7 would be Sunday in Memphis. Not that the Clippers plan on returning to Tennessee again.

“Our Game 7s Friday,” Clippers guard Mo Williams said.

The Grizzlies sound equally confident, feeling they should have won Games 1 and 3.

“Theres no point leaving home if we dont know our way back,” Grizzlies guard O.J. Mayo said. ” We cant look at Sunday because we have to make sure we get back home after Friday night.”

Rudy Gay added 14 points for Memphis.

Williams had 20 points for the Clippers while Chris Paul scored 19 and Blake Griffin had 15 points and 11 rebounds. Paul and Griffin both missed time in the fourth quarter with injuries.

The Clippers said Paul strained his right hip flexor, while the guard also appeared to jam a finger. Griffin hyperextended his left knee.

Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro said both players were being further evaluated after the game.

Paul almost singlehandedly gave the Clippers a chance to close out this series by scoring eight of his 27 points in overtime of Game 4.

This time, the four-time All-Star guard had just five points by halftime and scored nothing in this fourth quarter. He was grimacing early in the fourth quarter and was on the bench with the injured right groin. An injured groin kept him out of the Clippers regular season finale, a loss to New York that cost Los Angeles the No. 4 seed.

The Clippers came in needing a win to clinch their first series since 2006 and advance to a second-round series against top-seeded San Antonio. But even though Paul has plenty of postseason experience, this was the first close-out game for the likes of Griffin, Randy Foye and DeAndre Jordan.

Los Angeles last led at 17-16 before a fastbreak layup by Tony Allen that was set up by a long pass from Gasol put Memphis ahead to stay at 18-17 with 5:40 left in the first quarter.

“Weve got to do a better job keeping our composure a little bit,” Del Negro said.

The Clippers closed the third quarter with a 14-2 run and got within six twice to conjure up memories of Memphis blowing a 27-point lead in Game 1. Foye pulled the Clippers within 85-79 on a layup with 55.7 seconds left.

“You could hear the crowd getting quieter and quieter,” Foye said.

With CP3 on the bench, that was as close as they would get.

“We made enough plays and got enough stops tonight that kept us ahead,” Memphis coach Lionel Hollins said. “In the past, they kept making shots, and we havent been able to stop them. So even though our offense wasnt perfect, we got enough stops.”

Hollins didnt give his Grizzlies any credit for slowing down Paul.

“I thought he did a good job of containing himself when he got hurt and went to the bench,” Hollins said.

In the arena nicknamed the Grindhouse in honor of the Grizzlies blue-collar style, Memphis pounded the ball into the paint and banged on the Clippers all game long. The Grizzlies outscored Los Angeles 48-26 in the paint and had a 42-35 edge in rebounds.

Jordan said they knew the Grizzlies would force the ball inside to Gasol and Randolph early.

“They got a lot of easy post touches at the beginning of the game,” Jordan said. “Throughout, a lot of their shots were contested, but once you get a groove and get comfortable, the shots become comfortable.”

Griffin twice limped to the bench, once late in the first quarter with what appeared to be a ripped shoe. Then he went down under the basket late in the third after his legs tangled with Gasols, and Griffin kept rubbing and holding his left knee. He walked gingerly to the bench, but returned. It was the same knee that cost him his first season in the NBA.

Del Negro said both Paul and Griffin said they could go back in the game, so they did until Paul started hobbling a bit at the end.

Gasol scored 12 points in the first quarter. Randolph, who looked nothing like the double-double machine of last seasons playoffs, hit his first six shots in scoring 15 points while grabbing five rebounds as Memphis led 36-22 at the end of the first quarter.

The Grizzlies led 57-42 at halftime and led by as many as 24 before the Clippers tried to make it interesting again.

This physical series went to a new level in the second quarter when Eric Bledsoe of the Clippers ran over to defend Quincy Pondexter and bumped him to the court. Bledsoe then heaved the ball up into the air, drawing a technical foul. That was the first of five for the Clippers with four coming in the third quarter as Paul, Williams and Del Negro let their frustration boil over.

Notes

The Clippers have been called for 12 technicals in this series and the Grizzlies seven. Los Angeles Caron Butler, playing with a broken left hand, had seven points in the first quarter. He finished with eight after missing his last five shots. Agent Jimmy Sexton and Dontari Poe, the first-round draft pick by the NFLs Kansas City Chiefs, sat courtside next to the Clippers bench. Titans safety Robert Johnson and cornerback Alterraun Verner were in the stands.

CBSSports.com wire reports
May 8, 2012

var ua = jQuery.browser; if (!( ua.msie && (ua.version.slice(0,1) == “7″ || ua.version.slice(0,1) == “8″))) { window.fbAsyncInit = function() { FB.init({}); FB.Event.subscribe(edge.create, function(response) { DW.levt(ria, log, {siteid: 175, mapp: social_share_bar, comptyp: app, comp: main, riaevent: click, objtyp: button, objnm: facebook_share}); }); }; (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = “//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1″; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, script, facebook-jssdk)); } else{ document.getElem Welcome back, Al Horford.

In his first start since January, Horford scored 19 points, hit Atlantas final two baskets and came up with a huge defensive play to make sure the Hawks kept their season going with a frenetic 87-86 victory against the Boston Celtics in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference playoffs Tuesday night.

“I wanted to bring that energy to the team,” Horford said.

That he did, dribbling out at the head of fast breaks and diving fearlessly on the court for loose balls, not the least bit worried about reinjuring the pectoral muscle that kept him out most of the season. In addition to leading the Hawks in scoring, he grabbed 11 rebounds, dished out three assists, all while playing more than 31 minutes, far more than the Hawks intended.

More on Celtics-Hawks Analysis Matt Moore
Atlanta wins Game 5 battle, but it still feels like Bostons series Related links Rondo steals ball, then gives it back Expert picks: First round Playoff schedule Team updates: Celtics | Hawks More NBA coverage Latest news | On Twitter | Subscribe to newsletter

“I didnt expect to play that many at all,” Horford said. “We had an arrangement. It was going to be between 15 and 25.”

With the season on the line, the Hawks couldnt worry about pre-game arrangements. The Celtics lead the series 3-2 heading back to Boston for Game 6 on Thursday. If the Hawks can steal one on the road, the deciding game would be Saturday in Atlanta.

“We can be nothing but confident,” Horford said. “We know its going to be a big challenge up there. ”

Boston had a chance to clinch the series when Rajon Rondo stole Josh Smiths inbounds pass with 10 seconds remaining and raced down the court, looking for the winner. But the point guard got hemmed in along the sideline when Horford jumped out to defend him, which caused Rondo to lose control and fling a desperation pass. Smith knocked it away, the ball rolling harmlessly out of bounds as the horn sounded.

“I cornered myself,” Rondo said. “Give Al credit.”

A relieved Smith collapsed on the scorers table as glittery streamers fell from the rafters.

“I feel awful the game ended the way it ended, because I thought Rondo willed us back into the game,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers said.

Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett led the Celtics with 16 points apiece. Rondo had 13 points and 12 assists, and the last of his five steals gave Boston a chance to end the series early and get some much-needed rest.

But theres still work to do, and now the Celtics have to cope with an Atlanta player who spent most of the season rehabbing. Horford tore his left pectoral muscle in January, missing the rest of the regular season and the first three games of the playoffs. But he made a surprise return in Game 4, one of the few bright spots in an embarrassing 101-79 loss that gave the Celtics command of the series.

“We got everybody back at the right time,” Atlanta star Joe Johnson said. “We have a chance to do something special.”

Smith clearly looked hobbled by a sore knee that kept him out of Game 3, but still managed 13 points and 16 rebounds. Jeff Teague had 16 points, while Johnson and Marvin Williams had 15 apiece, giving Atlanta double-figure scoring from all five starters in a revamped lineup.

“This is the team they thought they were going to start the season with,” Rivers said. “They now have it, and we have to deal with it.”

In a back-and-forth game, the Celtics tied it at 83 on Ray Allens 3-pointer from the corner, capping a quick 7-0 run.

The Hawks called time out and set up a play that reclaimed the lead for good. Teague drove into the lane and dumped it off to Horford for an uncontested dunk.

After Garnett missed a jumper in the lane, Johnson ran down the shot clock looking as though he had every intention of shooting. But, at the last possible second, he rifled a pass to Horford coming off the wing. The big center threw up a sort of pseudo-hook with Garnett and Brandon Bass all over him. The ball bounced around the rim before falling through with 1:34 left, giving the Hawks an 87-83 lead.

With less than a minute to go, after misses by Pierce and Horford canceled each other out, Pierce was inexplicably left open for a 3-pointer. He swished it, pulling the Celtics within a point. They wouldnt get another, even with a couple of chances.

Teague missed an open 3 for the Hawks, giving Pierce a look at the go-ahead shot. But his 18-foot jumper with Johnson in his face barely touched the bottom of the net, falling harmlessly out of bounds while Pierce looked around in disbelief, believing he must have been fouled.

Rondos steal gave the Celtics one more chance, but they never got a shot off.

Boston appeared to have the momentum when it closed the third quarter on a Rondo-led 10-0 spurt that cut Atlantas 12-point lead down to a mere basket. First, he flipped a brilliant lob pass to Ryan Hollins for a dunk. Then, Rondo soared through the lane for a putback after Allen missed a 3-pointer. When Smith followed with a lazy inbounds pass, Rondo stole it away and hit a jumper. The Hawks turned it over again when Horford doled out an illegal pick, and Rondo went right back to work. Even after missing a 3-pointer, he darted into the lane when Hollins snatched the offensive rebound, took a pass and laid it in.

Finally, with the Hawks in total panic mode, Johnson dribbled too close to the sideline, got pinned and turned it over. The Celtics took off the other way, with Allen delivering a pass to Mickael Pietrus for a reverse layup with three-tenths of a second remaining. Just like that, Boston had sliced it to 66-64 heading to the fourth. The road team, cheered on by thousands of green-clad fans sprinkled around Philips Arena, kept it going early in the fourth, pushing out to a 73-69 lead on Allens 3-pointer with 8 1-2 minutes remaining.

But no lead was safe in this topsy-turvy game. The Hawks ripped off a 14-3 run. The Celtics called time out and scored seven straight of their own, capped by another 3 by Allen.

Looking to spark his team and generate more offense, Atlanta coach Larry Drew juggled his lineup for Game 5. Horfords first start since his injury wasnt totally surprising, given the center had 12 points and five rebounds off the bench in Sundays 22-point loss.

Perhaps more significantly, the Hawks started Williams at small forward and shifted Johnson to shooting guard, hoping that would create mismatches and give Atlantas top scorer more offensive chances. He took only eight shots in Game 4, a totally unacceptable number that left Johnson grumbling that Horfords return seemed to disrupt the offense more than it helped.

No complaints now.

“To have a full deck, with everybody back,” Johnson said, “its a blessing.”

Notes

The Hawks have used three different lineups in the five-game series. Despite bone spurs, Allen kept up his solid play off the bench with 15 points. Bass added 14. With Horford back, former starter Jason Collins played only 10 seconds for Atlanta.

CBSSports.com wire reports
May 8, 2012

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Except Chris Paul wasnt around for any of the Clippers bad times.

While everybody else worried, he calmly shepherded his club out of another perilous spot and onto the brink of something big.

Paul scored eight of his 27 points in a dynamic overtime performance, and the Clippers moved to the verge of their second playoff series victory in 36 years with a 101-97 victory against the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night, taking a 3-1 series lead.

More on Grizzlies-Clippers Column Ken Berger
Pauls rescue in Game 4 typifies what he has done with Clippers franchise Related links Moore: Memphis lets another win slip away Expert picks: First round Playoff schedule Team updates: Grizzlies | Clippers More NBA coverage Latest news | On Twitter | Subscribe to newsletter

“Its fun, its exciting,” said Paul, who atoned for his inability to score at the regulation buzzer.

“The worst mistake I probably made in the game was not getting the shot at the end of regulation,” he added. “If I was at home watching it on TV, Id be talking so bad about me. But youve got to get through it. The [best] thing about it is that I have teammates that have confidence in me. Everything that we do is a team win.”

Maybe so, but the Clippers were ever so grateful to rely on their All-Star point guard.

Griffin had 30 points and seven assists before fouling out with 2:26 left in overtime for the Clippers, who blew an 84-74 lead over the final 4½ minutes of regulation before Paul took charge in the overtime. He played with the same intensity he showed late in regulation, heedlessly flinging himself over the front row of chairs in an attempt to save a loose ball.

“Hes a great player, and thats what great players do,” Memphis coach Lionel Hollins said.

Game 5 will be Wednesday night in Memphis, with Game 6 back at Staples Center on Friday if necessary.

After Paul hit consecutive jumpers to put the Clippers ahead 99-93 with 44 seconds left, Mike Conleys layup with 8.1 seconds left trimmed the Clippers lead back to two points. But after Mo Williams hit two free throws with 7.2 seconds left and Rudy Gay missed a meaningless 3-pointer, Griffin and Paul embraced while another frenzied sellout crowd of long-suffering Clippers fans roared.

“Chris is always intense,” Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro said. “Thats what makes him special. Chris is so good, not only at making plays for himself, but making the right play. Thats what makes him a star.”

Conley scored a career playoff-high 25 points and Gay had 23 on 8-of-25 shooting for the Grizzlies, who couldnt match Pauls late-game poise in another thrilling chapter of a highly entertaining series with four games decided by a total of 15 points.

“Its good TV, man, get the ratings up,” Paul said. “We dont want any blowouts. Theres a reason we finished 4-5 [in the Western Conference standings] with one game between us. We have a lot of competitive guys that dont give up in this series. We have two teams that are going to fight until the end.”

In their breakthrough season since pairing Paul with Griffin, the Clippers need one more victory to win their second playoff series since the erstwhile Buffalo Braves moved to California. Los Angeles beat Denver in the first round in 2006, but hadnt been back to the postseason until this spring.

Caron Butler, playing with a broken bone in his left hand, scored 14 points for the Clippers, who still cant be comfortable after getting outrebounded 47-36 and giving away a big late lead.

After the Clippers rallied from big fourth-quarter deficits in their first two victories, Memphis rallied to 85-83 on Zach Randolphs jumper with 1:25 left. Gay hit the tying jumper in the final minute of before Randolph coolly hit two tying free throws with 20.4 seconds left.

Paul couldnt get a shot on the final possession of but he didnt quit.

“Its Chris Paul. He made his name off doing that,” Gay said. “Hes a tough guard. We can try and make it tougher on him, but still hes going to make plays and make his teammates better. Thats what hes been doing.”

The Clippers led 95-89 when Griffin fouled out, and the Grizzlies trimmed it to two points on jumpers by Conley and Gay. Paul went to work, shaking loose from defenders and hitting back-to-back jumpers sandwiching a turnover by Conley.

“Defensively in the overtime, we got three stops in a row, and Chris came down and hit big shot after big shot,” Griffin said. “We keep telling ourselves, and weve said this all year, it starts on defense for us.”

Fans filled Staples Center well before tipoff, donning their giveaway red T-shirts and standing to cheer on the majority of Los Angeles possessions. They raised Staples Centers intensity to a level it hadnt seen since … well, Sunday, when the Los Angeles Kings fans roared throughout their second-round NHL clincher over St. Louis.

The tone was set in the first quarter: In a scintillating 2½ minute stretch, the teams combined for six 3-pointers, an alley-oop from Paul to DeAndre Jordan and a technical foul for Gay. Butler, who broke his hand in the opener and sat out Game 2 before surprisingly returning for Game 3, scored 11 points and checked out to a standing ovation in the first quarter.

Memphis kept constant pressure on Griffin, forcing the two-time All-Star to be resourceful while keeping his temper in check. Randolph got a technical foul in the second quarter when he fouled Griffin roughly on the shoulder and then chest-bumped him, but Griffin only chuckled while Randolph, the former Clippers big man, was pulled away from him.

The Grizzlies got tough, but the NBAs leaders in steals didnt get a single steal in the first half.

Notes

Paul picked up his second technical foul of the series, a double T with Dante Cunningham. The Clippers have seven technical fouls in the series to the Grizzlies six. The NBA confirmed the start time for Game 5 in Memphis. It will begin at 9:30 p.m. ET. After going 13 for 30 on free throws in Game 3, the Clippers made 10 straight to open Game 4, but finished 28 of 40.

CBSSports.com wire reports
May 6, 2012

var ua = jQuery.browser; if (!( ua.msie && (ua.version.slice(0,1) == “7″ || ua.version.slice(0,1) == “8″))) { window.fbAsyncInit = function() { FB.init({}); FB.Event.subscribe(edge.create, function(response) { DW.levt(ria, log, {siteid: 175, mapp: social_share_bar, comptyp: app, comp: main, riaevent: click, objtyp: button, objnm: facebook_share}); }); }; (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = “//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1″; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, script, facebook-jssdk)); } else{ document.getEleme Amare Stoudemire raised his hands in the air, one covered in padding, as streamers fell from the ceiling above him.

Finally, New York could celebrate an NBA playoff victory again.

Carmelo Anthony scored 41 points, Stoudemire had 20 points and 10 rebounds in his return from a cut hand, and the Knicks snapped an NBA-record, 13-game postseason losing streak by beating the Miami Heat 89-87 Sunday in Game 4 of their first-round series.

“I think its the first of many,” said Stoudemire, his left arm back in a sling to keep his hand elevated. “Tonight was a great win for us, for our fans to finally get over that hump of those consecutive games that we lost, I guess the Knicks, lost over those years in the playoffs.”

Anthony made a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 54.5 seconds left as the Knicks overcame another serious injury to win a playoff game for the first time since beating Toronto on April 29, 2001, in Game 3 of a best-of-five series. Baron Davis dislocated his right kneecap in the third quarter, just as the Knicks were making the run that got them back into the game after a dismal first half.

“Im just glad that we came together after that, kept our composure, kept on fighting and won the basketball game,” Anthony said.

LeBron James scored 27 for the Heat, who will try to close it out in Game 5 at home on Wednesday. Dwyane Wade had 22, but missed a 3-pointer on the last possession that would have given Miami a lengthy rest before starting the second round.

More on Heat-Knicks Related links Heat come up empty on broken final play Knicks Davis dislocates right knee Stoudemire returns to Knicks lineup LeBron: Lockout doesnt mean asterisk for champs Report Card: Knicks get A, Heat get D More NBA coverage Latest news | On Twitter | Subscribe to newsletter

“Wed love to take the week [off] but its not in the cards for us to do that in this round,” Wade said. “You know, well adjust. We play Wednesday in Miami at 7 oclock. Well be ready to play and give our fans another exciting game.”

Wades errant shot set off a loud celebration from Knicks fans whose team was on the verge of getting swept for the second straight year, and third straight time dating to 2004. It didnt look as if the elusive postseason victory would come in this series, after the Knicks had been blown out by 20 points per game in the first three games.

But they got a huge lift from Stoudemire, playing with padding over his hand just six days after he punched a fire extinguisher case after a Game 2 loss in Miami. And they got a sensational effort from Anthony, who shot 15 of 29 and was one point shy of his playoff career best after he made only 34.4 percent of his shots in the first three games.

“We stepped up to the challenge,” Anthony said.

Now here comes another: The Knicks need a solution at point guard after Davis was carted off on a stretcher with his severe knee injury. Jeremy Lin is close to returning from knee surgery, but Iman Shumpert was lost with a torn knee ligament in Game 1.

A day after the Dallas team that beat them in the finals was swept by Oklahoma City, the Heat failed in their attempt for their first sweep since beating Washington in the 2005 Eastern Conference semifinals.

The series was on pace to be one of the most lopsided in NBA history through three games, but this one was within four points the entire fourth quarter, the crowd at Madison Square Garden growing louder with every play that moved the Knicks closer to their first playoff win in 11 years.

Mike Bibbys 3-pointer with 1:23 left snapped an 81-all tie, but the Heat called timeout and ran a play that freed James for a wide-open 3 that tied it again seven seconds later. On the Knicks next possession, Anthony came far beyond the arc to receive the ball after JR Smith picked up his dribble, then dribbled forward and pulled up for a 3 that made it 87-84 with 54.5 to play.

The Heat turned it over on their next possession when Chris Boshs pass sailed into the backcourt, and Anthony was fouled by Shane Battier attempting a 3-pointer. He made only one foul shot, and the Heat cut it to one again when James converted a three-point play while drawing Tyson Chandlers sixth foul.

Stoudemire made a free throw with 14 seconds left to make it 89-87, and Wade lost control of the ball driving into the middle on Miamis last possession. He regained it and dribbled to the corner for a 3-pointer that was off.

“I had a lane and then I kind of lost the ball. When I lost it, I knew that theyd recover by then so it made me dribble it out,” Wade said. “We got the switch and I got a little step on Amare and I was about to go to my shot. I was about to go to my shot but I kind of fumbled the ball a little bit. I thought I got a good look. I thought it was going in. But it came up a little short.”

Stoudemire had surgery Wednesday to repair a muscle in his left hand and the Knicks had listed him as doubtful for Sunday, but he was back on the court during practice Friday and cleared to play in Game 4.

He was back in his usual spot as the last player introduced during starting lineups, getting a loud reception, and he quickly picked the Knicks up after their sluggish start.

“Hes a good player. Hes a great player honestly, and he gave them the spark that they needed,” James said.

The Heat jumped to an 8-1 lead, holding the Knicks without a basket for almost four minutes to start the game. Then Stoudemire had three baskets in a 12-2 spurt to give the Knicks the lead, and they were up 20-18 after one following two free throws by Anthony with 7.3 seconds left.

The game then turned into a foul-fest, with 23 called in the second period. The Heat shot 19 free throws, making 14, while the Knicks were 8 of 9. Stoudemire and Chandler both went to the bench with their third fouls, but the Heat failed to pull away even after forcing the Knicks to miss their first six shots of the period while opening a 10-point lead.

Both teams shot 33 percent in the quarter, played at a glacial pace while the teams paraded to the free-throw line. Miami led 44-38 at halftime.

Miami led 51-40 before the Knicks offense finally got going. Stoudemire made a jumper and converted a three-point play, Anthony made a layup, and Smith stole the ball and made a 3-pointer for a quick 10-0 run.

James missed and the ball was batted up ahead to Davis, who drove in with a chance to give the Knicks the lead. But his leg buckled near the foul line and he crumbled to the court, called for a travel. Concerned teammates quickly waved for help, and Davis was wheeled off the court.

But New York regrouped and surged into the lead, going up by six late in the period before taking a 64-61 advantage to the fourth. After making only 13 baskets in the first half, the Knicks shot 10 of 20 in the third, getting 11 points from Anthony.

Notes

Heat reserve C Eddy Curry (flu) was not with Miami for the game. There was a musical tribute during a second-quarter timeout for Adam “MCA” Yauch of the Beastie Boys, who died Friday of cancer.