This weekend was packed with games, as all 16 NBA teams played on Saturday and Sunday. The Cleveland Cavaliers and the San Antonio Spurs swept the Detroit Pistons and the Memphis Grizzlies respectively, becoming the first two teams to reach the second round of the playoffs. The Indiana Pacers and Boston Celtics tied their respective series with the Toronto Raptors and Atlanta Hawks at 2-2. The Charlotte Bobcats and Portland Trailblazers cut the deficit to 2-1 between them and the Miami Heat and L.A. Clippers, respectively. Finally, the Golden State Warriors jumped out to a commanding 3-1 series lead on the Houston Rockets, while the Oklahoma City Thunder finished their series in five games against the Dallas Mavericks. Here are some highlights from these eight games.
Hawks forward Paul Millsap exploded on Sunday, scoring 45 points on 19-31 shooting, along with 13 rebounds. However, the Celtics coach stuck Marcus Smart on Millsap late in the game with 43 points. The move paid off. Smart contained Millsap and no one else on the Hawks produced offensively. The Celtics’ coordinated efforts proved to be the difference, as contributions by Smart, Isaiah Thomas and Jonas Jerebko, to name a few, pulled them back from a 16-point deficit in the third quarter to tie the series back up with a 104-95 win.
Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum combined for 59 points in a 96-88 victory, and the Blazers are now only down 2-1 to the Clippers. With the scrutiny surrounding Portland’s dynamic backcourt after poor performances led to both losses in Los Angeles, Lillard and McCollum came out aggressive and managed to lead their team to victory. Though point guard Chris Paul had 26 points and nine assists, his backcourt mate, J.J. Redick, only shot 2-10 from the field for five points.
The Pistons have posed problems for the Cavs with their brash attitude and constant physicality, but the Cavs finally completed the competitive sweep, eking out a 100-98 win in Detroit. LeBron James had 22 points, 11 rebounds and six assists, but the story of the night was Kyrie Irving’s 31 points, complete with his signature clutch baskets and quick dribble moves. Irving and forward Kevin Love have both played extremely well in this series and their production is going to be a key factor for Cleveland’s championship hopes going forward, since we all know by now that LeBron can’t win a championship all by himself.
The Warriors ran the Rockets out of their own building with a 121-94 win in Game 4, courtesy of a 41-point third quarter and an NBA record 21 threes for the game. However, Stephen Curry left the game at the half with an apparent knee injury. On Monday, MRI scans revealed a Grade 1 MCL sprain in Curry’s right knee, and it appears that he will be out for at least two weeks. The inevitable MVP and the best player in the league right now, the Warriors’ championship hopes will take a huge hit with Curry on the bench for the remainder of this series, and most likely the next. Golden State will have to step up and survive until Steph gets back, or their 73 wins will ring hollow with an early exit.
