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The 2006 NBA Playoffs
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Topic Started: Apr 23 2006, 12:40 PM (2,697 Views)
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Tealey
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May 11 2006, 07:19 PM
Post #16
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Mali 'Till I Die (Or Become Inactive)
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cant find anything about it, it seems such a bizzare number of games to play consecutively against the same opponent.
Can't be bothered to do much tonight.
How Things Stand (Best of 7)
Cleveland: 0--------------Detroit: 2 Dallas: 1------------------San Antonio: 1 Phoenix: 1----------------LA Clippers: 1 Miami: 1------------------New Jersey: 1
Tonight's Fixtures
None
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Tealey 
My Trophies:
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Tealey
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May 14 2006, 11:04 AM
Post #17
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Mali 'Till I Die (Or Become Inactive)
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For the past two days, there have been games being played. Can't be bothered to do anything much about them, just a quick update on how things stand in each series.
How Things Stand (Best of 7)
Cleveland: 1--------------Detroit: 2 Dallas: 2------------------San Antonio: 1 Phoenix: 2----------------LA Clippers: 1 Miami: 2------------------New Jersey: 1
Tonight's Fixtures
Miami versus New Jersey Phoenix versus LA Clippers
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Tealey 
My Trophies:
FIFA Complex Cup x2 (Football) Intercontinental Cup (Football) Winners' Shield (Football) One Day Cricket League x2 (Cricket) ECB Complex Cup (Cricket) World Club Championship (Cricket) Tour vs. USA (Cricket) Test Knockout Cup (Cricket) Top Of The League (NFL)
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Tealey
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May 15 2006, 04:17 PM
Post #18
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Mali 'Till I Die (Or Become Inactive)
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Matches - 14th May
Last night, the following games were played:
Miami versus New Jersey Phoenix versus LA Clippers
Miami versus New Jersey

- "nba.com"
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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J., May 14 (Ticker) -- The forward tandem of Antoine Walker and Udonis Haslem has the Miami Heat looking forward to their next postseason challenge.
Walker and Haslem scored 20 points apiece to help the Heat hold off the cold-shooting New Jersey Nets, 102-92, and open a commanding 3-1 lead in their Eastern Conference semifinal series.
"We had to respond today to what I thought was going to be their strongest effort," Heat coach Pat Riley said. "I think over the course of the game we matched their effort and then at the end made the plays that we had to make."
Dwyane Wade scored 31 points and Shaquille O'Neal added 16 for the second-seeded Heat, who won both contests at Continental Airlines Arena this weekend and have the luxury of two more home games.
Miami, 7-1 vs. New Jersey in the last two postseasons, could advance to the conference finals for the second straight year as soon as Tuesday with a Game 5 victory.
It was a disappointing loss for the third-seeded Nets, who were done in by 43 percent (36-of-84) shooting, including 4-of-20 from behind the arc.
They had won three of four from the Heat during the season and stole the opener on the road but have dropped three in a row, wasting a triple-double by Jason Kidd in this one.
"Dwyane is going to get his and so is Shaq, and we understand that," Nets star Vince Carter said. "You just can't let the other guys have big nights if you expect to win and that's what happened tonight.
"Udonis was big with his offensive rebounding and with some of his clutch shots in the paint. Antoine was big on the wing as well, and I just think that they were the X-factors for them throughout the whole game."
With his best game of the series, Walker helped the Heat build and keep the lead as he made 7-of-11 shots, including 5-of-8 from beyond the arc. He sparked a big third-quarter run that gave Miami a double-digit lead.
"I was just trying to get to the right spots," Walker said. "Dwyane gets into the lane and draws so much attention. We are just starting to get into a rhythm offensively. We simplify things. It's no secret that we go to Dwyane and Shaq most and everybody else tries to make shots when become available."
Haslem had perhaps the best postseason game of his career, making 8-of-11 shots and pulling down 11 rebounds. He spelled Walker early in the fourth quarter and made crucial baskets and free throws.
"It was certainly one of my best," Haslem said. "They were switching up defenses, digging in on the big fella (O'Neal) and doubling on Dwyane. I was just moving to the open spot and I was fortunate enough to knock down shots."
The Heat were clinging to a 78-77 lead when Haslem returned and promptly scored on a follow shot with 7:38 to go, ending a drought of nearly 3 1/2 minutes.
A hook shot by Nenad Krstic, who came alive with 20 points and 14 rebounds, pulled the Nets within 90-87 with 3:02 to play.
Wade nearly lost the ball out of bounds, but it was saved by Nets forward Jason Collins right to Haslem, who beat the shot clock with a 14-footer.
"It was a tough situation for those guys," Haslem said. "They put out all the hustle but the ball came to me. I just turned around and shot it."
Haslem made two free throws to keep the lead at 94-90 with 1:32 left and rebounded a miss by Krstic at the other end. Veteran Gary Payton provided the dagger with a 3-pointer with 56 seconds left - his first and only basket of the game.
"I though Udonis came in and controlled the boards for us," Riley said. "Anytime we needed a big defensive board, he was there."
The Heat shot 53 percent (37-of-70) to overcome New Jersey's 48-39 advantage on the glass.
Carter scored 26 points on 12-of-28 shooting and Richard Jefferson added 17. Kidd chimed in with 17 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists for his ninth career playoff triple-double.
"This was a big game and we thought we could even the series," Kidd said. "In the beginning, I thought the tempo was in our favor, but we let it get away from us. We have to find a way to slow these guys down."
The game took on a familiar pattern as the Heat opened leads and the Nets rallied but never moved in front. Miami never trailed after using a 9-0 burst to build a 23-18 advantage in the first quarter.
New Jersey had a 6-0 run to open the second half and forge a 54-54 tie before Walker scored eight points and Haslem six in a 16-5 surge that rebuilt Miami's lead to 70-59 with 4:03 left in the third quarter.
Carter began to shake off a 2-of-11 start and drained a pair of shots in a 14-6 spurt that cut the deficit to 76-73 entering the final period.
Final Score
Miami: 102--------------New Jersey: 92
Phoenix versus LA Clippers

- "nba.com"
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LOS ANGELES, May 14 (Ticker) -- Of all the changes made by Los Angeles Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy, playing Sam Cassell down the stretch made the biggest difference.
Cassell ignored an early sprained ankle to sink a clutch 3-pointer in the final minute as the Clippers evened their Western Conference semifinal series at two games each with a 114-107 victory over the Phoenix Suns.
Elton Brand had 30 points, nine rebounds and eight assists and Cassell added 28, 11 and nine for the sixth-seeded Clippers, who never trailed after the first quarter and fought off a frantic rally by the second-seeded Suns, who reverted to their run-and-gun ways.
Following a 94-91 loss in Game 3, Dunleavy made changes at two spots. He inserted forward Vladimir Radmanovic for injured center Chris Kaman (shoulder) and swingman Corey Maggette for defensive-minded forward Quinton Ross.
"This morning (Kaman) came into practice and said, 'I can't lift it' and we had chiropractors, doctors, everybody was looking at it to see if they could help him out this afternoon and before the game," Dunleavy said. "We took it down to the wire trying to treat him to see if he could go and he just wasn't able to go."
Both moves paid dividends as Radmanovic scored 13 points and Maggette contributed 18 and 15 rebounds while forcing Suns superstar guard Steve Nash to play defense.
"Corey came into his own with his rebounding and scoring tonight," Dunleavy said. "His ability to get out in the open court got him to the free-throw line, which is just good for us."
"It was all a question of matchups for us," Brand said. "It forced Nash to guard someone and not be their best matchup."
However, neither move had the effect of playing Cassell for most of the final period. The veteran point point guard has two championships rings and more playoff experience than anyone on the Clippers but sat for most of the fourth quarter in Game 3.
"I was given some opportunities to hit big shots down the stretch," Cassell said. "I try take on the leadership role as the season goes on."
With the season on the line, Dunleavy went with Cassell and was rewarded. Radmanovic and Cassell made 3-pointers to cap a 12-3 surge that gave the Clippers a 106-93 lead with 5:54 remaining.
However, Los Angeles went cold and Phoenix fought back, closing to 106-105 with 1:12 left on a 3-pointer and a swooping layup by Leandro Barbosa, who scored 15 points.
Brand ended a scoreless drought of nearly five minutes by sinking a jumper from the left wing with 56 seconds to play. He made 13-of-24 shots as he again dominated the interior.
"It was a disappointment to have to hit a shot like that, being up 13 with five minutes," Brand said. "Let me hit it a little bit earlier and keep a cushion."
Tim Thomas missed a potential tying 3-pointer and Cassell struck, firing a 3-pointer from the left side over 6-7 Shawn Marion that made it 111-105 with 27 seconds to go.
"It was a play for Elton Brand, but Tim Thomas did a great job of pushing him off the box," Cassell said. "I think the shot clock was winding down, so I just tried to line it up."
As they did in their 25-point win in Game 2, the Clippers dominated inside with a 55-37 advantage in rebounds and 18 second-chance points.
Shaun Livingston provided a lift with 11 points off the bench for the Clippers, who shot 49 percent (42-of-86) and committed just nine turnovers.
Raja Bell made seven 3-pointers and scored a career-high 33 points for the Suns, who shot 45.5 percent (40-of-88) and committed just five turnovers.
"I was getting more shooting opportunities," Bell said. "I was trying to make the best out of every opportunity that I was given."
However, Bell did not get much help. His teammates were just 3-of-24 from behind the arc and the trio of Nash, Thomas and Marion combined for just two baskets in the second half.
Nash, the NBA MVP, was relatively quiet for the third straight game with eight points and 11 assists. Thomas and Marion combined for 51 points and 33 rebounds in Game 3 but just 27 and 16 on Sunday.
"We try to double-team (Nash)," Dunleavy said. "We try not to triple-team him but he is so good that he gets by two guys and we need our third man to pick him up."
Dunleavy's changes first appeared to backfire as the Clippers fell into a 9-2 hole. Things appeared to get worse when Cassell twisted his left ankle after stepping on Marion's foot, but he immediately responded with a 3-pointer that gave LA its first lead at 17-16.
Maggette scored eight points in the first quarter as the Clippers opened a 33-28 advantage.
"I think they are going to have to make an adjustment if I start," Maggette said.
Maggette added another eight in the second period, when Los Angeles received a boost from Brand and a tremendous spark from Livingston.
The second-year guard ran the offense, tracked down a loose ball and beat the shot clock with a 3-pointer, and tipped in a miss just before the horn to build a 61-51 lead.
Despite three 3-pointers and 15 points by Bell in the third quarter, the Suns could only close to 90-82 entering the final period because Brand continued to dominate inside with 12 points.
Final Score
Phoenix: 107--------------LA Clippers: 114
How Things Stand (Best of 7)
Cleveland: 1--------------Detroit: 2 Dallas: 2------------------San Antonio: 1 Phoenix: 2----------------LA Clippers: 2 Miami: 3------------------New Jersey: 1
Tonight's Fixtures
Detroit versus Cleveland San Antonio versus Dallas
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Tealey 
My Trophies:
FIFA Complex Cup x2 (Football) Intercontinental Cup (Football) Winners' Shield (Football) One Day Cricket League x2 (Cricket) ECB Complex Cup (Cricket) World Club Championship (Cricket) Tour vs. USA (Cricket) Test Knockout Cup (Cricket) Top Of The League (NFL)
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TC Admin
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May 15 2006, 05:32 PM
Post #19
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Do you think San Antonio can retain their title?
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Tealey
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May 20 2006, 02:44 PM
Post #20
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Mali 'Till I Die (Or Become Inactive)
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i dont know. theyve taken their series to the last game, but i think if they get through theyll get stuck in the finals. detroit have looked good all season, as have miami. dallas gave san antonio a major scare in their series, which is good. its stupid only having 2 teams that dominate the entire league.
Matches - 19th May
Due to the lack of time during the week, I haven't posted on this. Anyway, time to get back in the swing. Fixtures last night:
Detroit versus Cleveland San Antonio versus Dallas
Detroit versus Cleveland

- "nba.com"
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CLEVELAND, May 19 (Ticker) -- LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers may have just witnessed the end of their season.
James scored 32 points, but it was not enough as the Detroit Pistons got a few clutch shots from Rasheed Wallace and some big offensive rebounds down the stretch to post an 84-82 victory in Game 6 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series.
NBA TV highlights from Pistons-Cavaliers: Play Press Conference: Play The Pistons have been in this spot before, and it showed Friday as they improved to 4-1 in road elimination games since the start of the 2004 postseason. Their only loss in that span was in Game 7 of the 2005 NBA Finals at San Antonio.
"I told our guys today this is a game where both teams feel that it's a must win," Detroit coach Flip Saunders said. "I didn't know if it was good or bad as far as our guys being very quiet, very focused (before this game). They are definitely sensing a sense of urgency."
Mired in its first three-game losing streak of the season, Detroit is now 9-2 in elimination games over the past three seasons and will look to return to the conference finals when it hosts Game 7 on Sunday.
"We're not OK yet," Detroit guard Chauncey Billups said. "That team beat us on our home court a couple of days ago. We have to play (Sunday) the way we played the last 18 minutes of this game."
"(Detroit) shot the ball better (45.6 percent) and that seemed to help them," Cleveland guard Eric Snow said. "They had more energy."
Wallace has been doing more talking that performing lately but came to play Friday. After collecting a total of 17 points in the previous two games, he scored 24 in this one, and his three-point-play with 3:02 remaining gave Detroit a 79-77 lead.
"You can't be right with (predictions) all of the time, but that's just the confidence level that I have in myself and my teammates," Wallace said. "If I didn't have that confidence I wouldn't talk junk."
On the verge of their first trip to the conference finals in 13 years, the Cavaliers will look back at this one as a missed opportunity, especially with their inability to crash the boards down the stretch. The Pistons had eight offensive rebounds in the fourth quarter, including three in the final 48 seconds.
With Detroit leading, 83-81, Wallace missed a 3-pointer with just under a minute to play and Richard Hamilton came up with the loose ball. Wallace then missed a tough jumper from the baseline, but Hamilton again grabbed the rebound and Wallace was fouled with 15 seconds to play.
Wallace, who was just 2-of-7 from the line, missed both free throws. Cleveland guard Ronald Murray was unable to control the rebound and Detroit again came up with the ball. Billups then split a pair from the line to make it 84-81.
"Ben (Wallace) was phenomenal on the offensive glass," Saunders said.
"We just needed to secure a rebound," Snow said. "Those are all energy plays and they were better at it."
James was fouled just before making a pass to Murray in the corner for an open 3-point attempt with 1.4 seconds left. He made the first free throw to make it 84-82 but missed the second intentionally.
"Of course I didn't want the foul, because I got a good pass to Flip (Murray) with 1.4 seconds on the clock," James said. "Being the smart team that they are, they committed the foul. They wanted to give up two points before they gave up three points."
"LeBron did exactly what I told him," Cleveland coach Mike Brown said. "With one timeout, I just tried to hold onto it and use it after we scored."
Billups came in to help on the boards and nearly tipped the ball in as time expired. But instead, the Cavaliers lost their first playoff game decided by three points or less this postseason (5-1).
"I tried to get a hand on it and just tapped it," Billups said. "The ball bounced around and I almost made the basket for them. It's crazy."
"I'm not sure why we didn't call a timeout (in the final 10 seconds)," James said. "I didn't even know that we had a timeout until after the game."
Hamilton scored 17 points and Billups added 15 for the Pistons, 10 in the fourth quarter.
"I don't think (Cavaliers) were playing really tight or nothing," Rasheed Wallace said. "But I know that the only cat that wanted to shoot (in the fourth quarter) was LeBron, so you take it for what it's worth."
James scored 24 of his points in the second half and Zydrunas Ilgauskas had 16 for Cleveland.
Final Score
Detroit: 84------------------Cleveland: 82
San Antonio versus Dallas

- "nba.com"
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DALLAS, May 19 (Ticker) -- The San Antonio Spurs were lucky to have Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan. The Dallas Mavericks could have used Jason Terry.
Ginobili scored 30 points and Duncan had a big second half to lead the Spurs to a 91-86 victory over the Mavericks in Game 6 of their Western Conference Semifinal series.
NBA TV highlights from Spurs-Mavericks: Play Press Conference: Play In winning three NBA titles over the last seven years, the Spurs have shown they can handle pressure. They have driven that point home by avoiding elimination for the second straight time.
On Monday, San Antonio will attempt to finish its comeback from a 3-1 deficit, something just eight teams have done in NBA history.
"The experience helps but honestly, it's one game," Duncan said. "It's going to be a basketball game and the emotions are going to be there. It's going to come down to who shows up, to who makes shots, to who makes plays down the stretch.
"Now it comes down to one game," said Dirk Nowitzki, who scored 26 points and had 21 rebounds. "Game 7. We've been in one before. We'll see how it goes. If we execute better offensively we should be OK. We should be confident, we did go into San Antonio and won Game 2.
San Antonio entered Friday just 1-4 on the road in the postseason but got huge games from Ginobili and Duncan, while Dallas struggled on offense down the stretch without Terry.
"This win was huge because if we hadn't won, we would be out of here," Ginobili said. "We haven't gotten too confident because we haven't accomplished anything yet. We've got to try to finish the job on Monday."
Terry was suspended for one game by the NBA on Thursday for throwing a punch at Michael Finley during a scrum in the waning seconds of Game 5. The Mavericks sorely missed him as Terry's quickness and outside shooting have given the slower Spurs fits throughout the series. He is averaging 17.5 points and sealed a Game 4 win with a rainbow jumper over the 7-foot Duncan in the final minute.
In Terry's absence, the Mavericks started Jerry Stackhouse alongside Devin Harris in the backcourt, and the duo struggled, shooting a combined 7-of-29 from the field and committing seven turnovers.
"We missed his shooting," Nowitzki said. "He's one of the special shooters in this league. He stretches the floor for us offensively. They clogged us up pretty good in there. They were playing Devin's drives all night and waiting for him at the rim. We just couldn't get anything to go but saying all that, we still battled and had our chances to win."
Ginobili scored 17 of his points in the first half, keeping the Spurs close as the Mavericks opened a 47-41 lead. The game was tied at 67-67 after three quarters and Ginobili scored with 6:25 to play in the fourth to give San Antonio its biggest lead, 78-73.
"Manu carried us the entire game," Duncan said. "In the first half, he's the one that kept us alive. He gave us the opportunity to go into half time down only six. He continues to make shots for us, he continues to make plays for us and on top of that he was great rebounding the ball."
Trying to reach the conference finals for just the second time since 1988, the fourth-seeded Mavericks tied the game at 82-82 when Harris split a pair of free throws with 2:59 remaining.
A former Maverick who was constantly booed by Dallas fans, Finley buried a 3-pointer on San Antonio's next possession and, after a basket by Harris, Duncan scored in the lane to make it 87-84 with 1:48 to go.
"The boos are unfortunate, especially in a place where I feel I gave my blood and guts on the court and tried to be a model citizen," Finley said. "For my family to not be able to come to the games and enjoy them because of the things the fans are saying is disheartening. Now that I know I'm the enemy, it makes me go out there and play harder."
"Finley was great tonight," Duncan said. "He was big for us, just being mentally tough, knowing that the type of situation he's in. He continues to play through all of it."
Nowitzki had a reverse layup with 17 seconds left to make it 87-86. Ginobili made two free throws and Finley thwarted Dallas again, forcing Nowitzki to shoot an airball from the corner on a 3-point attempt.
"I really had nothing," Nowitzki said. "Fin was all over me and I probably should have drove it, hit a quick two and get another foul."
"Dirk's First-Team NBA," Finley said. "Any time he has the ball, he's a shot waiting to happen. I just wanted to make his shots difficult. Even the one's I was contesting, he was making. Unfortunately for them, he missed the one at the end."
Tony Parker capped the scoring with a pair of free throws.
Ginobili added 10 rebounds and was 12-of-13 from the line. Duncan scored 16 of his 24 points in the second half and Finley added 16 for San Antonio.
"Once I saw Tim was in foul trouble and things were going pretty well for me," Ginobili said. "We realized that it was going to be a great opportunity for me to attack more or take more shots, It went very well."
"I got a chance to play (in the second half)," Duncan said. "I was in a foul situation in the first half. I spent a lot of time on the bench. I didn't shoot the ball very well today, but I just kind of stuck with it. I got some shots to fall down towards the end there. Pop keeps calling my number and giving me those opportunities."
Josh Howard scored 17 points for the Mavericks, who suffered their first home loss of the postseason (4-1).
"It was a tough game and obviously a tough loss for us," Nowitzki said. "We didn't play well now we've got to go to their place where it will be tough to win."
Final Score
San Antonio: 91-------------Dallas: 86
How Things Stand (Best of 7)
Cleveland: 3-------------Detroit: 3 Dallas: 3---------------San Antonio: 3 Phoenix: 3----------------LA Clippers: 3 Miami: 4------------------New Jersey: 1
No fixtures tonight. With 3 series tied at 3-3, it will be a tense few days for all concerned. NBA Awards for the season 2005-2006 season have been announced, but I will post them when the finals are over.
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Tealey 
My Trophies:
FIFA Complex Cup x2 (Football) Intercontinental Cup (Football) Winners' Shield (Football) One Day Cricket League x2 (Cricket) ECB Complex Cup (Cricket) World Club Championship (Cricket) Tour vs. USA (Cricket) Test Knockout Cup (Cricket) Top Of The League (NFL)
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TC Admin
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May 21 2006, 10:50 AM
Post #21
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Your back
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Tealey
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May 22 2006, 03:47 PM
Post #22
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Mali 'Till I Die (Or Become Inactive)
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i dont think i was ever away was i?
Match - 21st May
Last night, there was one fixture played, the deciding game between Detroit and Cleveland in the Eastern semis.
Cleveland versus Detroit

- "nba.com"
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AUBURN HILLS, Mich., May 21 (Ticker) -- The Detroit Pistons taught LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers a lesson about what it takes to win a Game 7.
Flashing their trademark defense to slow down James in the second half while shutting down the rest of his teammates the entire way, the Pistons grinded out a 79-61 victory over the Cavaliers in the decisive seventh game of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
NBA TV highlights from Cavaliers-Pistons: Play Press Conference: Play Tayshaun Prince scored 20 points and Richard Hamilton 15 for the top-seeded Pistons, who won the final two games of the series to advance to the conference finals for the fourth straight season.
"It was just will," said Pistons guard Chauncey Billups, who had 12 points and eight rebounds. "Anytime you get to a Game 7, it's just will. You're not going to trick them with anything you do, they're not going to trick us with any plays. We know them inside out."
Playing their fourth Game 7 in the last three seasons, the Pistons used a tenacious defensive effort in the second half to finally shake the fourth-seeded Cavaliers, who were not even expected to be in a decisive game against the NBA's best team during the regular season.
"That's a group that has been there and done that, and they played a great series," Cavaliers coach Mike Brown said. "This was a learning experience for LeBron and for all of us."
In the second half, the Pistons held the Cavaliers to just 23 points, tying the lowest mark in a second half in playoff history. Utah scored 23 points against Chicago in Game 3 of the 1998 NBA Finals.
Cleveland shot just 19 percent (5-of-26) after the break, when Detroit showed its championship mettle.
"In a pressure situation, you do what you do best, and for us, that's defending," Pistons coach Flip Saunders said. "We locked down."
The 61 points was the lowest mark in a Game 7 in NBA history and the third-lowest total all-time.
The inexperienced Cavs were carried to the decisive game by the 21-year-old James, who had been brilliant throughout his first postseason.
"There's nobody on his level that can get his teammates involved like he does," Prince said of James. "He sees the plays before they even happen, and no one else does that. That's the reason this went seven games."
James got off to a strong start in the biggest game of his young career, scoring 21 of his 27 points in the first half that ended with the Pistons holding a 40-38 lead.
However, the Pistons' constant double-teams finally began to take their toll on James, who missed his first seven shots and went just 1-of-9 from the floor in the second half.
"In the first half we were playing the pick and roll a certain way and he was coming off, getting to the basket," Billups said. "He had 21 points but had only made one jump shot. So we changed it up, tried to make him make some jumpers. He wasn't comfortable with that, I guess."
James made 11-of-24 shots overall and never really got any help from the rest of his teammates who went a combined 9-of-41 from the floor.
"They came at me as soon as I came across halfcourt, and being the person I am and the player I am, I had to give the ball up," James said. "They did a great job."
James acknowledged that his team missed their opportunity in Game 6 in Cleveland.
"You have to take positives out of this," James said. "There's no reason for us to hang our heads about this series. I'm disappointed that we lost, because we had it right there for the taking, especially at home, but things happen. That's why Detroit worked so hard all year for home-court advantage."
Despite the struggles, the Cavs were within 46-45 with 5:58 left in the third quarter following two free throws by Drew Gooden.
Hamilton drilled a jumper at the 5:18 mark to trigger a 12-3 surge to close the quarter that gave the Pistons a 58-48 advantage. Veteran Lindsey Hunter provided a spark in the surge by making a jumper and scoring on a hard drive to the basket.
"I just came out being aggressive," said Hunter, who scored seven points. I wanted to be really aggressive, on both ends of the court. It was a big lift for us. We all responded, we all felt the energy in the building. That's what Game 7s are all about."
Larry Hughes, who missed the previous four games of the series following the death of his brother, made a 3-pointer 21 seconds into the fourth quarter to pull the Cavs within 58-51. But the Pistons took control for good from there.
Hunter sank a 3-pointer at the 9:16 mark, Prince followed in his own miss and Hamilton hit from the outside in a 9-1 burst that made it 67-52 with 5:37 remaining. James' three-point play with 4:42 left was his only basket of the second half.
Rasheed Wallace scored 13 points for Detroit, which will face second-seeded Miami in the conference finals starting Tuesday night. Detroit rallied from a 3-2 deficit to beat Miami in the conference finals last season.
The Pistons, who never trailed, scored the game's first seven points and built a 19-6 advantage after two free throws by Wallace at the 3:30 mark. But the Cavs were able to close to 21-15 after one quarter.
Final Score
Cleveland: 61---------------Detroit: 79
How Things Stand (Best of 7)
Cleveland: 3--------------Detroit: 4 Dallas: 3-----------------San Antonio: 3 Phoenix: 3---------------LA Clippers: 3 Miami: 4------------------New Jersey: 1
Tonight's Fixtures
Dallas versus San Antonio LA Clippers versus Phoenix
So tonight, the places in the Western Final are decided. Miami and Detroit will play in the Eastern Final, their series starting on Tuesday. Dallas and the Clippers have a really good chance to win against the odds, and surprise everyone.
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Tealey 
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TC Admin
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May 23 2006, 12:18 PM
Post #23
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Dallas beat San Antonio!
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 Credit to Bandit! @TheComplexII
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Tealey
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May 23 2006, 04:37 PM
Post #24
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Mali 'Till I Die (Or Become Inactive)
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they did. surprising result there.
Matches - 22nd May
Last night, the Western semis were finished, with Dallas playing San Antonio and Phoenix playing the LA Clippers.
Dallas versus San Antonio

- "nba.com"
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SAN ANTONIO, May 22 (Ticker) -- Dirk Nowitzki put his head down and went hard to the basket, driving the Dallas Mavericks past the resilient San Antonio Spurs and into the Western Conference finals.
Nowitzki's season-saving three-point play forced overtime, where the Mavericks finally found a solution for Tim Duncan and surged to a 119-111 victory over the Spurs in a fitting Game 7 of a fantastic conference semifinal series.
NBA TV highlights from Mavericks-Spurs: Play Now 4-0 in Game 7s, Nowitzki had 37 points and 15 rebounds for the fourth-seeded Mavericks, who ended the championship reign of the top-seeded Spurs and reached the conference finals for the third time in franchise history. They host the second-seeded Phoenix Suns on Wednesday.
"We believed it was our time to win this," Nowitzki said.
Dallas narrowly avoided the specter of a catastrophic collapse. After squandering a 3-1 series lead, the Mavericks blew a 20-point second-quarter lead and were one miss away from yet another setback to their Texas-sized nemesis.
Instead, the Mavericks became the 18th team to win Game 7 on the road as they showed the mental toughness that has made the Spurs champions. They denied San Antonio the chance to become the ninth team - and second during this postseason - to overcome a 3-1 deficit.
"They did a great job," said Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, whose team has yet to reach the conference finals in defending its three NBA titles. "They obviously deserve to move on. It's a disappointing loss for us. It's impressive what Dallas has done. I wish them the best."
"Now we haven't won the championship, but how about those Mavs," beamed Spurs coach Avery Johnson.
Wilting under the demands of defending Duncan - who had a playoff career-high 41 points, 15 rebounds and six assists - the Mavericks faced their first deficit at a terrible time.
Duncan passed out of a double-team to Manu Ginobili, whose 3-pointer gave the Spurs a 104-101 lead with 32 seconds remaining in regulation and brought a roar from the crowd at the AT&T Center, who sensed the completion of a historic comeback.
Nowitzki had other ideas. Instead of settling for one of his patented jumpers - as he did at the end of Game 6 - the 7-footer overpowered a smaller defender on his way to the basket and dropped in a layup while drawing a hard foul from Ginobili. His free throw tied it with 21 seconds to go.
"We had a similar situation in Game 6," Nowitzki said. "We didn't have a lot of time left, I forced a three and the game was over. This time, I had a clear shot to the basket and a lot of time left. I don't know how the ball went in. Manu hit my hand. It was a lucky bounce."
Ginobili and Duncan missed in the final seconds of regulation, and the Spurs never led again. In overtime, they repeatedly went to Duncan, who had put practically the entire Mavericks' roster in foul trouble but could not solve backup center DeSagana Diop.
Duncan made 12-of-24 shots and 17-of-23 free throws, fouling out Erick Dampier and Keith Van Horn in the process. But in overtime against Diop - an inexperienced fourth-year center- he was just 1-of-7, perhaps giving into the fatigue of carrying his team.
"We put ourselves in position to win the game," Duncan said. "We fought all the way back in overtime and we didn't have much left in the tank."
Diop even gave the Mavericks the lead for good at 108-106 on a dunk with 3:32 to play. He "pulled the chair" and got Duncan to travel before Jerry Stackhouse made a jumper.
Ginobili and Jason Terry traded a pair of free throws before Diop contested a lane jumper by Duncan and Stackhouse made a tough pull-up from the baseline for a 114-108 lead at the 1:48 mark.
"We just didn't play as sharp in the overtime as we did during when we were making our comeback," Ginobili said. "They hit a couple of great shots down the stretch."
Duncan made a driving hook but could not get another one to drop with 50 seconds to go. Diop sealed matters by rebounding a miss by Terry and splitting a pair from the line for a 115-110 lead with 22 seconds remaining.
"Tim missed some shots that he usually makes at the end of games and I was trying to make him work hard on the offensive end," said Diop, who had started the first six games of the series. "We'll take the shots he missed and be happy with it."
Terry returned from a one-game suspension to score 27 points. Josh Howard added 18 before fouling out and Stackhouse contributed 13 for the Mavericks, who cooled after a blistering start but still shot 52 percent (42-of-81).
"Basketball is a game of mistakes and I made a big one (in getting suspended) the other night," Terry said. "But we showed a lot of character. We didn't let our heads hang down wondering about what could have been."
Tony Parker scored 24 points and Ginobili added 23 for the Spurs, who shot 47 percent (36-of-76) and stayed in the game by making 33-of-39 free throws.
It was the ninth overtime game of the 2006 postseason, setting a record with two full rounds remaining. This series featured two OT games and four others decided by a combined nine points. Fingered as a flaw in the playoff seeding system, the matchup instead became an unforgettable classic.
"This has been an amazing series," Nowitzki said. "Every game but Game 2 was a battle. A couple of plays here and there and the games go either way. This was a special series."
"This is the best series I've ever played (in)," Duncan said. "Both teams gave their all. It went down to the wire, it was about the ball and whether the ball bounced one way or another and the result is just how it bounced."
Game 7 did not start in memorable fashion. Instead of staring down the Spurs, the Mavericks fixed their gaze on the rim, shooting nearly 70 percent (25-of-36) and opening a 64-50 halftime lead as Terry scored 17 points.
In the third quarter, Duncan rallied the Spurs with 13 points, including a three-point play that cut the deficit to 74-70 with 4:26 to go.
"He's unbelievable and unguardable," Nowitzki said. "He was amazing all series. We could never find an answer for him."
Two free throws and a jumper by Nowitzki rebuilt the lead to 93-84 with 8:30 left, but Ginobili scored nine straight points for the Spurs, shaving the margin to 96-93 with 4:11 to go.
Nowitzki moved onto Duncan but was helpless. Duncan made a follow shot and a spinning layup before finding former Maverick Michael Finley for a 3-pointer that pulled San Antonio within 101-100 with 1:43 to go.
"I would hope that if we had won three championships and that we were playing an up and coming team, I would hope that we would do the same thing," Johnson said. "But we are still a young team."
Final Score
Dallas: 119----------------San Antonio: 111 (OT)
Phoenix versus LA Clippers

- "nba.com"
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PHOENIX, May 22 (Ticker) -- The Phoenix Suns have some obvious shortcomings. But in Game 7s, they have been virtually flawless.
Directed by MVP Steve Nash, the Suns tied a team playoff-record with 15 3-pointers and won their second Game 7 of the postseason, returning to the Western Conference finals with a 127-107 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.
NBA TV highlights from Clippers-Suns: Play Press Conference: Play Nash had 29 points and 11 assists for the second-seeded Suns, who have been pushed to the limit in each of their first two series but have emerged with convincing closing wins on their home floor. They will face the fourth-seeded Dallas Mavericks, who host Game 1 on Wednesday.
In the first round, Phoenix became the ninth team in history to erase a 3-1 deficit and win a series, roaring to a 121-90 win over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 7. This one was not as overwhelming but just as effective.
"These guys have risen to the occasion every step of the way this year," Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said. "With Amare(Stoudemire) going down, with Game 7, overtime games. It has been wild. But there has never been one time where that locker room hasn't been solid and everybody together. We have had our ups and downs but resilience is the heart of intelligence."
Often overpowered on the interior in this series, the Suns stayed true to their style and fired early and often from the arc. They attempted 27 3-pointers, with six players making at least one. Meanwhile, the Clippers were 0-of-4 from the arc.
"For us, we don't shoot them if we aren't making them," Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy said. "We really didn't have any great looks. Our game is to get the ball in the paint and finish that way. When they can shoot the 3-pointer like the way they shot tonight, who can beat them? They get on a roll shooting the three, and in a one-game series, they can be unbeatable."
Overall, Phoenix shot a sizzling 60 percent (48-of-80), which may have been the result of fresh legs. After playing 13 games in 25 days, the Suns had three days off between Games 6 and 7.
Nash certainly appeared refreshed. Having looked tired at times in this series, he piloted the offense with precision, making 11-of-16 shots, including 4-of-5 from long range.
"I had time to work on some things I was struggling with," Nash said. "I got a chance to overcome some physical problems and I did feel better. If I didn't get a chance to work on some of my ailments, I probably wouldn't have played the way I did."
Shawn Marion made five 3-pointers and scored 30 points and Leandro Barbosa sank two and added 18 for the Suns, who never trailed after the first two minutes and led by double digits for the last 15 minutes.
"We weren't ready to go fishing yet," Marion said. "We got into the third quarter and the first five minutes we opened the game up and never looked back. The rest helped. Our legs were there and everybody was knocking down threes. I think we had a little more energy."
"The biggest thing is we wish they didn't get any rest," Clippers forward Corey Maggette said. "They came out blazing. The MVP played extremely well and Marion (was) shooting the 3-pointer. He hadn't been hitting any and tonight he had a great game."
Mike D'Antoni used seven players and all seven scored in double figures. Tim Thomas scored 16 points, Boris Diaw added 14 and Raja Bell and James Jones 10 apiece.
"We came out sharing the ball," Bell said. "Steve was committed to really take over the game. He led us and we followed."
Los Angeles forward Elton Brand again was unstoppable, scoring 36 points on 16-of-26 shooting. Maggette added 18 points and fellow reserve Shaun Livingston 14 for the Clippers, who saw their best season in franchise history end on a sour note.
"It was a coming-out party for myself and teammates," Brand said. "We played well, we surprised some teams and we are only going to get better. We have a lot of young guys on the team and we are going to improve."
Ending a nine-year playoff drought, the Clippers won a best-of-seven series for the first time and came within one win of their first trip to the conference finals.
"We hurt right now but we feel good about what we accomplished. We know we have done a lot of good things," Dunleavy said. "We reached a lot of our goals on the season. Our first goal was a big deal. Nobody believed we could get into the playoffs. The second was getting home court. The third was winning a series."
"I'm proud of my guys in this locker," Clippers guard Sam Cassell said. "No one thought we could get this far. We lost. It's definitely devastating. But this team can hold their heads up high and walk around the city of Los Angeles with some pride."
The Suns erased an early 4-0 hole with an 18-6 run that featured three 3-pointers. The Clippers rallied for a 28-28 tie, but Jones made two free throws and Barbosa added a bucket to close the first quarter and give Phoenix the lead for good.
Nash and Marion made 3-pointers to push the lead to 63-53 late in the first half. A pair of 3-pointers by Barbosa fueled a 12-4 surge to cap the third quarter and extend the advantage to 94-79.
Final Score
LA Clippers: 107-------------Phoenix: 127
So that's that. There will be a new NBA champion, as the defending champs, San Antonio have been knocked out. The conference finals fixtures are:
Miami versus Detroit Phoenix versus Dallas
Tonight's Fixtures
Miami versus Detroit
The Western final starts tomorrow.
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Tealey 
My Trophies:
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TC Admin
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May 24 2006, 01:18 PM
Post #25
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I reckon Miami will face Dallas in the final
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 Credit to Bandit! @TheComplexII
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Tealey
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May 24 2006, 03:31 PM
Post #26
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Mali 'Till I Die (Or Become Inactive)
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i dunno. detroit have a good roster and have been amazing all year. dallas sometimes seem like theyre going through nowitzki all the time. phoenix have nash and marion and very little else, and miami have a load of veterans who have, admittedly, played well when called upon. watch this space.
Eastern Conference Final - Game 1
Last night, the Heat and the Pistons faced off in an eagerly anticipated matchup, a repeat of last season's eastern final. Both have deep rosters, with great players.

- "nba.com"
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AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (Ticker) -- Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat are off to a healthy start in the Eastern Conference finals.
Wade played through foul trouble to score 25 points as the rested Heat posted a 91-86 victory over the Detroit Pistons in the opener of the conference finals.
Antoine Walker scored 17 points and Shaquille O'Neal 14 for the second-seeded Heat, who stole home-court advantage from the Pistons by taking control of the contest late in the third quarter.
"This is going to be a dogfight, and we're happy to get the first one," Heat coach Pat Riley said.
Wade was a major reason why the Heat quickly gained the upper hand against the NBA's best team during the regular season as he made 9-of-11 shots while playing just 27 minutes due to foul trouble.
In last season's conference finals against the Pistons, the Heat squandered a 3-2 series lead. However, Wade missed Game 6 with a rib injury and O'Neal played the series with a thigh injury.
But with week of rest after disposing of New Jersey in five games in the conference semifinals, the Heat came out sharp, scoring the game's first 11 points and never trailing in the first half.
Things looked like they were unraveling when Wade went to the bench with his fourth foul at the 7:14 mark of the third quarter with the game tied at 54-54.
Chauncey Billups converted a driving a layup, Tayshaun Prince made two free throws and Rasheed Wallace drained a jumper to give the Pistons their biggest lead, 60-55, with 4:18 left in the third.
However, the Heat tightened their defense and used an 11-1 surge to close the quarter with Wade on the bench to take the lead for good. Detroit missed its final nine shots of the period.
"We looked tired throughout certain parts of the game," Prince said. "We got good looks. Obviously, they didn't fall."
Veteran Gary Payton, who scored 14 points, drilled a jumper and Walker and James Posey each hit 3-pointers in the Heat's burst to close the period.
Another of the Heat's many veterans, Alonzo Mourning had two baskets and a key block that provided a 75-65 advantage with 6:31 remaining.
"We've been here before," Payton said. "We're at the end of our careers, but we know what to do. I've been here for 16 years, 'Zo has been for 14. We know how to make plays."
Wade then helped put the game out of reach, hitting a jumper and three free throws for an 80-67 cushion 4:44 to play.
"Games are called different," Wade said. "I'm just going to continue to be aggressive, be a little smarter, but at the same time continue to be aggressive."
In the first quarter, Wade also led a surge, making his first six shots and scoring 13 points in the quarter that ended with Miami holding a 33-25 lead. The Heat shot 75 percent (15-of-20) in the period.
"He started 6-for-6, and he was obviously very fresh," Riley said of Wade. "We usually go to Shaq early, but Dwyane knows when to take over if he's feeling it."
Hamilton scored 22 points, Billups 19 and Prince 16 for the Pistons, who struggled most of the way offensively as they shot just 38 percent (31-of-82). Detroit was playing two days after beating Cleveland in Game 7.
"Are we tired? Yeah, but everybody is at this point," Pistons coach Flip Saunders said. "We're not going to use that as an excuse. We just couldn't sustain our runs. Our energy was not at all consistent."
Detroit hosts Game 2 on Thursday.
"We just gotta come out and play hard, gotta come out and execute and do what we do and not get caught up in playing their style of game, whether it's Game 2, 3, 4, whatever," said Pistons center Ben Wallace, who grabbed 14 rebounds. "If we come out and play the way they want to play, then we don't have a chance."
Final Score
Miami: 91------------------Detroit: 86
How Things Stand (Best of 7)
Miami: 1-------------------Detroit: 0 Dallas: 0------------------Phoenix: 0
Tonight's Fixture
Tonight, the Western final starts, with the Suns playing the Mavericks.
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Tealey 
My Trophies:
FIFA Complex Cup x2 (Football) Intercontinental Cup (Football) Winners' Shield (Football) One Day Cricket League x2 (Cricket) ECB Complex Cup (Cricket) World Club Championship (Cricket) Tour vs. USA (Cricket) Test Knockout Cup (Cricket) Top Of The League (NFL)
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Tealey
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May 28 2006, 11:15 AM
Post #27
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Mali 'Till I Die (Or Become Inactive)
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cant be bothered to do much, just a quick update on how the series stand.
How Things Stand (Best of 7)
Miami: 2-------------------Detroit: 1 Dallas: 1------------------Phoenix: 1
Tonight's Fixture
Dallas versus Phoenix
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Tealey 
My Trophies:
FIFA Complex Cup x2 (Football) Intercontinental Cup (Football) Winners' Shield (Football) One Day Cricket League x2 (Cricket) ECB Complex Cup (Cricket) World Club Championship (Cricket) Tour vs. USA (Cricket) Test Knockout Cup (Cricket) Top Of The League (NFL)
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Tealey
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May 29 2006, 07:38 AM
Post #28
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Mali 'Till I Die (Or Become Inactive)
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Western Conference Final - Game 3
Last night, Dallas played Phoenix in game 3 of the Western final.

- "nba.com"
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PHOENIX, May 28 (Ticker) -- The Dallas Mavericks have somehow done the impossible: They stopped the Phoenix Suns from running.
Bringing the NBA's most feared fast break to a standstill with a remarkable defensive effort, the Mavericks regained home-court advantage with a 95-88 victory over the Suns in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals.
Dirk Nowitzki had 28 points and 17 rebounds for the fourth-seeded Mavericks, who have stymied the second-seeded Suns in two straight games after giving away the opener at home. Dallas improved to 5-2 on the road in the postseason.
Mavericks coach Avery Johnson admitted that his team cannot afford to run with the Suns, who use a wide-open offense piloted by two-time MVP Steve Nash to press the tempo better than any team in the league.
To combat the run-and-gun Suns, Johnson has demanded patience on offense and hustle on defense. With their advantage in depth, the Mavericks have made a commitment to winning the transition game.
"We had a more balanced offense and didn't take bad shots," Johnson said. "When we take bad shots that hurts us on the other end. We have better balance and transition when we do what we do. If you can get 10 steps on a guys that is faster then you going down the other end of the court, you're at an advantage. We can't run as fast as those guys, so we better get a head start."
"We really controlled the tempo great," Nowitzki said. "Especially in the second half we got back in transition. We wanted to run when we had the chance but if not we wanted to slow it down, look for some shots. We only shot 41 percent but if you get a shot up every time and don't turn the ball over that keeps them from running. If they have to play defense for 24 seconds all the time they don't get the run-outs."
Second in the NBA in fast-break points during the season, Phoenix managed just four fast-break points Sunday - and zero in the second half. The offense grinded to a halt, totaling just 36 points after halftime and failing to reach 90 for the first in the postseason.
"I think they are getting back, doing a better job in getting back on transition," Nash said. "I don't know if fatigue is a factor but we are not running like we need to. It was a little frustrating to see us not give the extra effort tonight, especially in the second half, when we got caught too many times going 1-on-1."
"We got to run," Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said. "We didn't do it. We didn't have the neccassary enrgy to force the issue. I don't know if they are looking down the floor and seeing a couple of guys back and the rest of the guys stop running. If we don't run and spread the floor and hit them quick we are going to end up with 88 points."
Dallas got the offense it needed, especially from Nowitzki, Josh Howard and Jason Terry, who combined for 40 of their 69 points in the second half. Howard scored 16 of his 22 points and Terry 10 of his 19 after halftime.
The Mavericks also had the upper hand in effort and concentration. They held edges in rebounds (48-45), offensive rebounds (19-12) and steals (8-0) while committing just five turnovers and forcing 13.
"I don't think we get enough credit for being a team that hustles," Johnson said. "If you don't try to outhustle the Suns the way they play for long rebounds, short rebounds, you are going to be in trouble. You got to have quickness to get the long rebounds and that is just hustle."
Nowhere was that more evident that down the stretch. Trailing by as many as nine points in the fourth quarter, the Suns closed to 88-84 and had the ball when Tim Thomas made a lazy pass to Nash that was stolen by Howard, who went in for a layup with 2:10 left.
"I thought Steve was there," Thomas said. "I was already in motion ready to throw the ball to Steve, then all of a sudden Josh Howard was there. I didn't even see him coming."
After Shawn Marion missed a 3-pointer, the Mavericks held the ball for more than a minute, grabbing three offensive rebounds.
They may have received a break when Nowitzki's desperation 30-footer was ruled to have hit the rim and Terry sealed it with a jumper for a 92-84 bulge with 33 seconds to go.
"I think that Thomas turnover was big and then we missed a couple of shots but we were able to get two big offensive rebounds right after that," Nowitzki said. "When they play their small lineup, you gotta go in and get some offensvie rebounds. We got 19 today."
Howard pulled down 12 rebounds for Dallas, which never trailed in the fourth quarter and won despite shooting 41 percent (39-of-95).
Nash scored 21 points, Boris Diaw added 20 and Leandro Barbosa 17 for the Suns, who shot 43 percent (35-of-82). Marion had 10 points and 18 rebounds and Thomas added 14 and 10.
Nowitzki's first two 3-pointers of the series helped the Mavericks remain within 25-22 after one period. But a dedication to defense caused the offense to sputter.
A 3-pointer by Nash gave the Suns their largest lead at 50-39 with 3:05 left in the first half. A minute later, Howard was called for a flagrant foul on Thomas, who traded technicals with Terry before making two free throws.
Dallas closed the quarter with an 8-2 spurt, then opened the second half with a highly energetic 12-2 run fueled by Nowitzki and Howard, taking a 59-54 lead on a jumper by Terry.
"The turning point was at the end of the first half where we up by 11 and missed a couple of layups and we had a couple of bad plays," D'Antoni said. "We came in the half up by five instead of up by 11, 13 or 15. Then we came out a little flat. We didn't play real smart."
The Mavericks trailed for just 20 seconds thereafter, taking the lead for good at 78-72 with a 6-0 spurt early in the final period.
Final Score
Dallas: 95---------------Phoenix: 88
How Things Stand (Best of 7)
Miami: 2-------------------Detroit: 1 Dallas: 2------------------Phoenix: 1
Tonight's Fixture
Detroit versus Miami
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Tealey 
My Trophies:
FIFA Complex Cup x2 (Football) Intercontinental Cup (Football) Winners' Shield (Football) One Day Cricket League x2 (Cricket) ECB Complex Cup (Cricket) World Club Championship (Cricket) Tour vs. USA (Cricket) Test Knockout Cup (Cricket) Top Of The League (NFL)
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Rated R
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May 29 2006, 11:38 AM
Post #29
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go pistons
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Arrive. Raise Hell. Leave.
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Tealey
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May 30 2006, 09:48 AM
Post #30
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Mali 'Till I Die (Or Become Inactive)
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Eastern Conference Finals - Game 4
Last night, the Pistons and the Heat played. The Heat had a 2-1 lead going into this and were looking to extend it.

- "nba.com"
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MIAMI, May 29 (Ticker) -- Dwyane Wade has made things real rough for the Detroit Pistons.
Wade authored up another huge performance and the Miami Heat again made all the big plays in the fourth quarter en route to an 89-78 victory over the Pistons and a commanding 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Proving nearly unstoppable and making the Pistons' vaunted defense look average the entire series, Wade scored 31 points as the second-seeded Heat moved within a win of reaching the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history.
"I'm just a kid in a candy store right now, trying to have fun," Wade said. "I'm getting a chance to show my ability and my talent."
Wade took five shots in the first half and failed to attempt one in the third quarter when the Pistons switched to a 3-2 zone defense. But the superstar again was aggressive in the fourth quarter as he scored 12 points, including a pair of highlight-reel plays along the way.
"They were taking me out of the game by double-teaming me so I was getting off the ball," Wade said. "Fourth quarter, I wasn't going to let that happen. I was going to be more aggressive and take the ball to the basket."
Less than a minute into the final session, Wade drove to the basket and converted an acrobatic layup while drawing a foul on Antonio McDyess. Wade also drilled an off-balance shot from the left sideline with the shot clock winding down for a 69-63 lead with 9:26 remaining.
Miami coach Pat Riley made sure Wade had an opportunity to once again be a factor down the stretch.
"We need every ounce of energy he brings out there," Riley said. "I could not give him a rest in the second half. He's right there; he's very special."
Wade made 8-of-11 shots and went 15-of-19 from the free-throw line. He is averaging 30.8 points and shooting a blistering 70 percent (41-of-59) in the series.
"Wade was phenomenal," Detroit coach Flip Saunders said. "He didn't have a lot of open looks. When he's got contested shots and he's going up, you say that's a pretty good contest but he's nailing shots."
With Wade leading the way, the Heat took control of the game in the fourth quarter from the top-seeded Pistons, who had battled back to erase a 14-point, first-half deficit.
"I thought the last two minutes of the first half was a downer for us," Riley said. "It gave them some life. They went to the zone in the third quarter and we tried to attack the zone very methodically instead of just getting the ball up the court quickly and trying to find seams and gaps and trying to drive the ball."
Udonis Haslem, who enjoyed his best game of the series, sank an open jumper from the free-throw line with 4:16 remaining to cap a 16-6 run and give the Heat an 81-69 cushion. The power forward scored 16 points in 33 minutes.
"Nobody (in the locker room) got down on me," said Haslem, who made just 1-of-12 shots in the first two games of the series. "They got behind me 100 percent and told me to keep fighting. I'm just trying to be more aggressive and get in a rhythm."
Shaquille O'Neal added 21 points and nine rebounds for Miami, which will try to close out the series in Game 5 at Detroit on Wednesday.
Last season, the Heat squandered a 3-2 series lead against the Pistons in the conference finals with Wade and O'Neal both battling injuries. However, the superstar duo now is healthy.
"Now it's the moving on factor," said Riley, whose team's are 11-0 when holding a 3-1 series lead. "If they want it, they will get to the Finals, and that will be a first for this franchise. So I think they're hungry. We have a great respect for the Pistons but I think our hearts are into moving on."
"We're on the right page but we still have a lot of basketball left," Wade said. "I'm proud of my guys, but I know they understand that we've still got to finish this series up."
Seeking their third straight appearance in the NBA Finals, the Pistons have played well with their backs against the wall as they continue to live by their motto of, "If it ain't rough, it ain't right."
In the conference semifinals, Detroit battled back from a 3-2 series deficit to defeat Cleveland. The Pistons have rallied from 2-1 or 3-2 series deficits five times in the past four postseasons.
"We've got a lot of fight in us," Pistons guard Chauncey Billups said. "We've been down 3-1 before but not against a team as great as Miami. But we're going home, we're a great home team and we have to win one game. If we don't focus on that one game, the season will be over."
But beating the Heat may be an entirely different story since Wade and O'Neal seem to have every answer.
"We wanted to take a game in Miami but we couldn't get it done," Saunders said. "Every game becomes like an NCAA Tournament game now. But strange things happen. One play can change a game; one play can change a series."
The All-Star duo combined to attempt 34 free throws in this one, 12 more than the entire Pistons team. Miami went 28-of-47 at the line, compared to 12-of-22 for Detroit.
"Man, I thought that hurt us a lot," Billups said. "We came out, closed the gap, got the game where it was kind of nip and tuck. I thought it made a difference, but it is what it is."
The Heat shot 55 percent (28-of-51), the third time in the series they were above 54 percent.
Rasheed Wallace fouled out and Ben Wallace and Billups each battled foul trouble the entire night for the Pistons, who shot 39 percent (30-of-77) in another inconsistent offensive effort.
Tayshaun Prince scored 15 points, Billups 14 and Rasheed Wallace 12 for Detroit, which fell to just 2-5 on the road in the postseason.
"It's tough. We put ourselves in this situation," said Prince, who scored just four points after the first quarter. "But like I said, it's not over."
The Pistons got little production from Richard Hamilton, who scored all 11 of his points in the first half. He missed all six of his shots in the second half and finished 4-of-15 overall.
A 3-pointer by James Posey with 2:11 remaining in the first half gave the Heat their largest leat at 42-28. Moments before Posey's shot, the 7-1, 325-pound O'Neal had a block and went nearly the entire length of the court for a layup.
"I have that in my game," said a smiling O'Neal. "I used to do that when I was a youngster. I'm not a spring chicken anymore, but it was an opportunity for me to get the crowd going. I just did what I do best."
The Pistons did show some signs of life and closed the first half on a 10-2 surge to pull within 44-38 at the break.
Limited to four points between them in the first half, Rasheed Wallace and Billups combined for 17 of Detroit's first 19 in the third quarter.
Rasheed Wallace's 3-pointer at the 5:05 mark capped an 11-2 run and gave the Pistons a 57-53 lead. The Heat battled back to reclaim a 62-60 lead entering the final period.
Final Score
Miami: 89---------------------Detroit: 78
How Things Stand (Best of 7)
Miami: 3-------------------Detroit: 1 Dallas: 2------------------Phoenix: 1
Tonight's Fixture
Dallas versus Phoenix
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Tealey 
My Trophies:
FIFA Complex Cup x2 (Football) Intercontinental Cup (Football) Winners' Shield (Football) One Day Cricket League x2 (Cricket) ECB Complex Cup (Cricket) World Club Championship (Cricket) Tour vs. USA (Cricket) Test Knockout Cup (Cricket) Top Of The League (NFL)
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