Hoops and Rackets

Bucks top Bobcats, Nets hold off Warriors

2007-12-23T05:02:00.000-08:00

Yi Jianlian had a breakout game with a season-high 29 points on 14-of-17 shooting and 10 boards to lead the Bucks over the Bobcats 103-99. Yi started the game shooting 12-of-12, missing his first shot in the 3rd quarter. Michael Redd added 27 markers for the Bucks. Vince Carter hit a three in the final seconds of the game to help give the Nets the win over the Warriors 100-95. Carter finished with 23 points while Richard Jefferson led the team with 31. Jason Kidd had his 94th career triple-double with 15 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds.

Portland keeps hot streak alive

2007-12-22T03:12:00.000-08:00

Everyone has counted them out when their newly won franchise player Greg Oden went down with injury, but right now the Blazers are the hottest team in the league, beating the Nuggets for their 10th straight win. Martell Webster had 19 while Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge both added 18 for the young Blazers team. Roy, last year's rookier of the year, was instrumental in leading the resurgance in the team, scoring a team-high 23.6 points during the winning streak. Carmelo Anthony had 34 points and 12 boards while Allen Iverson also scored 34 for the Nuggets.

Nets edges Heat, Nuggets outlat Rockets

2007-12-21T04:10:00.000-08:00

Vince Carter scored 31 points while Richard Jefferson added 29 as the Nets beat the Heat in OT 107-103. The Nets were down by 7 late in the fourth quarter but went ahead in the final seconds thanks to Carter's 3-point shot. but Udonis Haslem hit a jumper in the waning seconds to send the game to overtime. Dwayne Wade had his second consecutive season-high in points scoring 41 on 15-of-23 shooting. With Mcgrady missing, the Nuggets' two big stars outmatched Houston's lone superstar, giving the Nuggets a head-earned 112-111 double-overtime win. Carmelo Anthony had 37 points and had a career-high 16 rebounds, while Allen Iverson had 36 points and nine assists for the Nuggets. But is was Anthony Carter who game the Nuggets the win with a floater 0.8 left in double-OT. Yao Ming had 26 points and 19 rebounds for the Rockets, who have lost 5-of-6.

Mavericsk beat Suns, Spurs lose to Grizzles

2007-12-20T03:30:00.001-08:00

Dirk Nowitzki scored the Mavericks' final 8 points and finished with 31 to lead the Mavericks over the Suns 108-105. Dallas was in the lead throughout the game, going up by 17 in the first period. Stoudamire had 25 points and 4 blocks for the Suns. The worst team in the NBA almost blew away their lead but still came out on top over the Spurs 88-85. The Grizzlies made a last second 3-pointer over Tim Duncan courtesy of Rudy Gay. Manu Ginobili tied the game at 85 with a dunk with 2.4 seconds left. Mike Miller scored a season-high 31 points for the Grizzlies, while Gay added 23.

Lakers surge past Bulls

2007-12-19T03:22:00.000-08:00

The Lakers are maturing as team, with Sasha Vujacic scoring 19 points and Lamar Odom having a double-double of 17 points and 16 boards to help bring the Lakers past the Bulls 103-91. Kobe Bryant scored a quiet 18 points for the Lakers, who had 6 players in double figures. The Lakers made an 11-point run put together by various team members to stretch the lead to 14 in the final minutes of the game. Luol Deng finished with 26 points for the Bulls.

Spurs lose at home, Nowitzki outplays Howard

2007-12-18T03:01:00.000-08:00

The Suns got some measure of revenge for last season's playoff exit as they handed the Spurs its first home loss with a 100-95 victory. Grant Hill led the Suns with 22 points, while Steve Nash had 10 points and 10 assists. The Spurs were stilling missing Tony Parker, but got a big night from Tim Duncan who had season-highs in points and rebounds with 36 and 17. Dirk Nowitzki showed Howard what the reigning MVP can do, scoring 11 of his 31 points in the final period along with getting 11 boards to guide the Mavericks over the Magic 111-108. Howard was unstoppable in the first quarter with 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting, but the Mavericks stepped up their D and forced Howard to go 3-for-8 the rest of the game.

Boston extends streak

2007-12-17T03:48:00.000-08:00

The Celtics are continuing to show great defensive prowess, matching their longest winning streak in 14 years with a 90-77 win over the Raptors. Boston has won 9 straight, and are now 20-2. Paul Pierce scored 18 markers, while Kevin Garnett had 16 for the Celtics, who won again despite Ray Allen missing his second straight game. Rajon Rondo is stepping up in place of Allen, scoring 14 points and adding 4 assists. Chris Bosh had 17 and 13 for the Raptors.

Nets beat Cavaliers, Boston dumps Milwaukee

2007-12-15T04:17:00.000-08:00

Cleveland's Hack-a-Boone didn't work as the Nets went past the Cavaliers for a 105-97. Looking for a different way to come back into the game, the Cavaliers tried fouling reserve Josh Boone, who scored a season-high 15 points, but Boone made 2-of-4 despite being a 21% free throw shooter this season. Vince Carter matched his season-high 32 points, and Richard Jefferson added 24 for the Nets. The Big Three were just the Big Two, but the Celtics still came out romping, routing the Bucks 104-82. Paul Pierce had a season-high 32 points, and Kevin Garnett had 15 points and 7 boards in just 29 minutes for the Celtics, who pulled away behind a big third-quarter.

Lakers beat Spurs

2007-12-14T03:29:00.000-08:00

The Lakers were already given a big edge, but they only were able to squeeze past the Spurs 102-97. Kobe Bryant scored 30 points for the Lakers, who used an 18-5 run in the final period to keep the Spurs away for good. With both Duncan and Parker missing the game, Manu Ginobili was left to leading the team, but the Spurs' leading scorer had only 14 points and made 7 turnovers for the Spurs. Bruce Bowen led the Spurs with 22 markers.

Cleveland stops streak, Wizards beat Wolves

2007-12-12T03:50:00.000-08:00

Lebron James came back from injury as a reserve to spark the Cavaliers in a 118-105 victory over the Pacers. James had 17 points in only 22 minutes, while Larry Hughes had a big night off the bench with 36 points, his season-high. Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison continue to carry the Wizards in Gilbert Arenas' absense, both posting double-doubles leading the Wizards atop the Wolves 102-88. Butler had 20 points and 10 rebounds and Jamison had 22 points and 13 rebounds for the Wizards, who got 6 players score in double figures.

Heat edge Suns, Knicks lose to Mavericks

2007-12-11T03:33:00.000-08:00

Dwayne Wade scored 10 points in the final 4 minutes to lead the Heat over the Suns 117-113. Wade had 16 in Miami's blistering 40-point 1st quarter. Miami controlled most of the game until the final 1:10 where the Suns made 5 three-pointers, but could not get over the hump. Steve Nash had 14 assists for the Suns, who had 4 players score 19 points. Dirk Nowitzki had a season-high 36 markers to power the Mavericks over the Knicks 99-89. Dallas led by as many as 23 points but led the lead slip to 7, causing their coach Avery Johnson to have some hard words after the game. The fans booed their own Knicks center Eddie Curry and coach Isaiah Thomas during the game.

Wolves stuff Suns, Celtics win over Bulls

2007-12-09T03:25:00.000-08:00

The high-powered Suns offense was snuffed out by the Wolves, with Al Jefferson tieing his career-high 32 bounds and grabbing 20 boards to power the Wolves over the Suns 100-93. At one point in the second half Jefferson scored 10 straight points and was unstoppable for the Suns. Steve Nash had 14 points and 15 assists for the Suns. The Boston Big Three may bot have been their usual spectacular selves, but the Celtics still had enough to beat the Bulls 92-81. Ray Allen scored 21 and Rajon Rondo tied his season-high 18 points to lead the Celtics, who got only 10 points for Paul Pierce and 16 from Kevin Garnett.

Nuggets run over Mavericks

2007-12-07T04:27:00.000-08:00

Allen Iverson may not have scored more than 50 as he did the other nightm but he did come up with the victory. Iverson scored 35 points on 12-of-19 shooting and dished out 12 assists to power the Nuggets over the Mavericks 122-109. Iverson sparked a 13-2 run in the final minute of the game to close out victory. Linas Kleiza had a season-best 23 points and Carmelo also scored 23 for the Nuggets.

Lakers overcome Iverson, Suns scorch Raptors

2007-12-06T03:09:00.000-08:00

The Lakers overcame Iverson's season-high 51-point explosion by limiting him to just two in the final quarter to beat the Nuggets 111-107. Bryant scored 25, Vladimir Radmanovic had 21, and Derek Fisher added 20 for the Lakers. The Lakers held Iverson to just 4 shots in the 4th quarter. The Suns had a new season-high in points to outscore the Raptors 136-123. Leandro Barbosa led the charge with 35 and Steve Nash had a season-high 18 assists for the Suns. TJ Ford scored 27 for the Raptors, who're still missing Chris Bosh due to a strained groin.

Magic outlasts Warriors, Mavericks edge Bulls

2007-12-04T05:45:00.000-08:00

Dwight Howard almost lost the game for the Magic, but he redeemed himself by helping his team win in overtime 123-117 over the Warriors. Howard scored 4 points of his 18 in the extension and grabbed 23 boards. After he missed a dunk with less than 20 secs left in regulation, he slammed the basket's padding costing them a technical free throw. Josh Howard tied his season-high 27 points and Dirk added 25 to help Dallas hold off Chicago 103-98. The Mavericks led by as many as 16 in the final period but it was chopped down to 3 near the final seconds of the game. Jason Terry shot 2 free throws to seal the game.

Magic beat Lakers, Knicks loses to Suns

2007-12-03T05:44:00.000-08:00

The Magic pulled away late in the game using a 9-0 run to beat the Lakers 104-97. Rashad Lewis paced the Magic with 18 markers, while Dwight added 17. Bryant scored 28 for the Lakers, but 19 of those where in the first quarter. Grant Hill continues to show that despite his age, he's still an NBA superstar. Hill had a season-high 28 points to bring the Suns a victory over the Knicks 115-104. He scored 9 points near the end of the game pull pull the Suns away for good.

Nets win, Hornets stop Dallas

2007-12-02T02:26:00.000-08:00

Vince continued his off-the-bench start success with 24 points to lead the Nets over the 76ers 94-92 in overtime. Jefferson scored 23 and Kidd added 19 for the Nets, who were behind by 18 in the first half. Peja Stojakovic had 22 points and shot a 3 pointer at the end of regulation in bringing the Hornets a victory over the Mavericks 112-108. The Hornets stopped their 21-game losing streak to the Mavericks. Tyson Chandler had a double-double of 21 points and 13 boards for the Hornets.

Jazz dump Lakers, Suns stop Magic

2007-12-01T06:03:00.001-08:00

Andre Kirilenko got the 3rd triple-double of his career with 20 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists in leading the Jazz over the Lakers 120-96. The Jazz had no problems matching up to the Lakers, even with Boozer and Okur missing in action. Dwight Howard had another monster game with 30 points and 23 rebounds but it wasn't enough as the Magic fell to the Suns 106-110. Raja Bell had a season-high 20 points and Steve Nash dished out 14 assists and adding 15 points for the Suns.

Celtics trash Knicks, Lakers bear Nuggets

2007-11-30T04:03:00.000-08:00

The Celtics won with their biggest lead since 1970 after a 104-59 whopping of the Knicks. The Boston Big Three played only less than 30 minutes each with both Allen and Pierce scoring 21 and Garnett with only 8 points. The Lakers bench stepped up again, with Sasha Vujacic leading the charge with 22 points, as the Lakers pulled away in the fourth to rout the Nuggets 127-99. The Lakers were leading by only at the end of the 3rd. While Kobe, who had 24 points, was resting on the bench and ended up resting the final period, Vujacic had 19 points in the quarter and the Lakers outscored the Nuggets 46-24.

Rockets beat Suns, Cleveland loses James, game

2007-11-29T03:57:00.000-08:00

Yao found the answer to the speedy Sun's play, scoring 31 points and adding 13 boards to lift the Rockets over the Suns 100-94. Mcgrady added 18 points for the Rockets, who got a nice spark off the bench from Steve Francis with 9 points and 7 assists. Lebron James hurt his left index finger in the 2nd quarter, leaving the game for good as Cleveland lost to Detroit 74-109. Richard Hamilton led the Pistons with 18 points, while the rest of the team contributed with 10 Piston players scoring at least 7 points.

James drops Big Three, Heat wins

2007-11-28T03:07:00.000-08:00

The Boston Big Three got a dose of its own medicine as Cleveland's version of the Big Three teamed up to power the Cavaliers over the Celtics 109-104. Lebron James scored 38, Drew Gooded had a season-high 24, and big Z Ilgauskas added 15 to give Cleveland the OT victory. James scored 11 points in the extension period. Miami's strong bench play helped them win 110-90 past the Bobcats. Ricky Davis scored a season-high 23 points and Jason Williams had 11 points and 8 assists as the bench were 22-for-33 from the field. Wade played only 26 minutes while Shaq only 22 for the Heat.

Wizards beat Mavericks, Warriors stop Suns

2007-11-27T03:16:00.000-08:00

Gilbert Arenas may be out for a long time but Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler are teaming up to win the Wizards games, this time a 110-98 victory over the Mavericks. Butler scorred 35 points was a perfect 5-for-5 from the 3-point range, while Jamison added 27 for the Wizards, who have won four of six. Monta Ellis scored 15 straight points in the fourth quarter and finished with 31 career-high points to lead the Warriors over the Suns 129-114. Baron Davis also had 28 points and 10 assists for the Warriors.

Nets win third straight, James spectacular

2007-11-26T08:33:00.000-08:00

Jason Kidd had 15 points, 14 assists and seven boards to lead the Nets to their 3rd straight win, over the Lakers 102-100. Kobe had 31 points but started only 3-of-16 from the field. Lebron James had his fourth triple-double of the season with 30 points, 10 assists, and 11 rebounds in Cleveland's 111-106 victory over Indiana. Jermaine O'Neal did not play and missed his 3rd straight game.

Houston stops skid, Bucks edge Mavericks

2007-11-25T00:36:00.000-08:00

Mcgrady's 35 points and Yao's 22 points and 13 boards powered the Rockets past the Nuggets 109-81 . Houston jumped to a 24-8 lead early in the 1st quarter and never looked back as they took control of the whole ballgame. The win stopped Houston's losing streak at 6 games. The Bucks stretched their winning streak to 5 after their 97-95 win over the Mavericks. Michael Redd had 27 markers and made 5 free throws late in the game to help the team edge Dallas. Andrew Bogut added 16 points and 14 boards, while Mo Williams had 19 points and 10 assists.

Nets edge Sonics, Boston beats Lakers

2007-11-24T03:34:00.000-08:00

Behind another big game from RJ, the Nets edged the Sonics 98-93. Jefferson scored 30 points in a game where no other player scored at least 20, while Vince added 15 off the bench, to lead the Nets. The Celtics-Lakers rivalry seems renewed, and Boston came out on top this time with a 107-94 victory over the Lakers. Kevin Garnett had 21 points and 11 boards, while Kendrick Perkins added 21 and 9 for the Celtics. Paul Pierce also had 20 points and 9 assists for the team.

Celtics win again, Bucks top Lakers

2007-11-22T03:06:00.000-08:00

Boston proved its still the best team, bouncing back from their only loss of the season to blow out the Warrios 105-82. The Big 3 played their "A" games with Ray Allean leading with 21 points, Garnett having 20 and 10, while Paul Pierce adding 19 and 10. Michael Redd scored 26 points and dished out 7 assists to lead the Bucks over the Lakers 110-103. Kobe put up 27 markers for the Lakers.

Suns edge Kings, Lakers trash Pacers

2007-11-21T03:21:00.000-08:00

Amare Stoudamire scored 26 points and added 13 boards to lead the Suns over the Pacers 100-98. Amare scored the final 6 points for the Suns, and blocked the final shot attempt by Kings. He had plenty of help in the game, with Barbosa scoring 22, Grant Hill adding 19, and Nash having a double-double of 14 points and 12 assists. The Lakers are still playing well as a team with a 134-114 rout of the Pacers. With Kobe who had 32 points resting in the final quarter, the reserves went on a 12-0 run to start the fourth quarter, pulling the game away for good. Eight Laker players were in double figures, with Jordan Farmar having a career-high 18 points.

Magic still strong, Nets looking for answers

2007-11-20T05:37:00.000-08:00

Although they almost blew a 20-point lead again, the 1-2 punch of Dwight Howard and Rashad Lewis still led the Magic to a 95-88 victory over New Orleans. Howard finished with 24 points and 15 boards, while Lewis added 19 including 2 huge 3-pointers late in the game. The Nets are still going downhill, losing 102-75 to the Jazz. Deron Williams scored 20 while Carlos Boozer added 17, as they combined for only 4 field goal misses. The Nets have lost six straight games after going 4-1, with Vince missing for 5 games now.

Boston falls short, Lakers trash Bulls

2007-11-19T04:24:00.000-08:00

Boston went down as many as 20 points and almost made it back but couldn't quite get over the hump, losing to Orlando 104-102. Paul Pierce missed the go-ahead 3-pointer as time was running out. Dwight Howard led the Magic with 24, while Rashad Lewis added 22. The Lakers reserves were lighting it all up as the Lakers pummeled the Bulls 106-78. Five reserve players were in double figures for the Lakers, and Kobe also had 18 points.

Mavs beat Spurs, Bulls lose to Suns

2007-11-16T04:17:00.000-08:00

Josh Howard led the Mavericks with 23 points as Dallas beat San Antonio 105-92. Dirk scored only 5 points in the second half, while Duncan had to leave with more than 3 minuts left in the game because of a slight knee problem. Leandro Barbosa is still shooting great from 3-point range making 5-of-7 and finishing with 25 as the Suns top the Bulls 112-102. Grant Hill is playing like a young superstar again, scoring 24 points shooting 9 out of 14 field goals. Marion led the Suns wtih 25 points.

Celtics still perfect, Grizzlies edge Rockets

2007-11-14T03:22:00.000-08:00

The Celtics are still unbeaten after a 101-86 drubbing of the Pacers. Paul Pierce had a superb game of 31 points and 11 boards while shooting a perfect 14-of-14 from the line, while Garnett had a double-double of 18 and 11. Memphis edged Houston 105-99 despite Mcgrady's 41 points. Pau Gasol had 26 points and Darko Milicic added 20 while doing a great job of defending Yao, who had early foul trouble and finished with only 22 points and 7 boards. Bruce Bowen had a great all-around game having 23 points and limiting Kobe to just 18 as the Spurs beat the Lakers 107-92. Tony Parker led the Spurs with 26 points.

Boston 3 comes out on top

2007-11-11T02:02:00.000-08:00

Boston came out victorious in the battle of Atlantic Division leaders, as the Celtics beat the Nets 112-101. The Big Three again had another spectacular performance, with Pierce scoring 28 points, Allen with 27, and Garnett adding 18 poitns and 14 boards. Jefferson led the Nets with 28 points and Kidd directed traffic with 17 points and 12 assists. Vince had 17 points but had to leave the game in the 3rd quarter because of an ankle sprain. Leandro Barbosa scored 39 points and led the Suns over the Magic 106-96. Grant Hill scored 14 points and grabbed 8 rebounds against his former team. Last year's rookie of the year Brandon Roy outclassed last year's MVP as Portland beat Dallas 91-82. Roy had a career-high 32 points and dished out 7 assists while Nowitzki had only 11 points, shooting a dismal 4 of 13.

Yao vs. Yi: Yao wins

2007-11-10T03:02:00.000-08:00

On the first matchup of China's two biggest stars, Yao Ming came out on top. Yao scored 28 points and had 10 rebounds along with 3 assists and 3 blocks to power the Rockets over the Bucks 104-88. 20-yr-old rookie Yi had a decent game with 19 points and 9 rebounds. Boston is still looking strong with another win, this time over the Hawks 106-83. Garnett had another spectacular game with 27 points, 19 rebounds, six assists and three blocks, while Paul Pirce added 23 points. The Celtics are the only unbeaten team remaining this season at 4-0. The Clippers meanwhile absorbed their first loss as they got beat by the Pistons 79-103. Billups led detroit with 23 markers.

Nets edge Wizards, Bulls win one

2007-11-09T03:07:00.000-08:00

New Jersey is off to its best start in 5 years as they beat the Washington 87-85 to go 4-1. Jefferson scored 25 found and grabbed an offensive board that resulted to the game winning free throws to win the game. Vince added 24 points and deflected Arenas' final shot to seal the victory. The Bulls finally win their first game over erstwhile unbeaten Pistons 97-93. Tyrus Thomas had 19 points and 14 boards and Kirk Hinrich had 14 assists to lead the Bulls.

Celtics, Clippers still unbeaten

2007-11-08T04:13:00.000-08:00

The Big Three has played only 3 games but so far they're proving to be unstoppable. Paul Pierce had 26 points, Kevin Garnett added 23 and 13, while Ray Allen contributed 22 points as Boston blew out Denver 119-93. Carmelo had only 11 points on 3 for 13 shooting for the Nuggets. With all the stars of the team disappearing one by one, the Clippers are still winning their games. The Clippers beat the Pacers 104-89 despite missing Elton Brand and Shaun Livingstone, while adding top scorer Cutino Mobley to the injured list. The Clippers are left to one superstar, Sam Cassell, who led the team with 35 points.

Mavericks stop Rockets

2007-11-06T03:05:00.000-08:00

The Dallas Mavericks ended Houston's streak with a 107-98 home victory. Jason Terry scored 31 points and helped the Mavericks through a 14-4 run late in the game. Dirk added 19 points and 9 boards for the Mavericks. Mcgrade led the Rockets with 35 points but shot only 12 for 31, while Yao had 21 and 11.

Boston wins again, Hornets still unbeaten

2007-11-05T03:07:00.000-08:00

Ray Allen showed that he IS part of the Big Three, taking the game-winning 3 point shot to lead the Celtics over the Raptors 98-95 in overtime. Allen finished with 33 points, while Garnett who scored 10 points in OT ended up with 23 and 13. The New Orleans Hornets are off to a fast start, beating the Nuggets 93-88 and going 3-0. David west led the charge with 17 points, 13 rebounds, two blocks and two steals while Chris Paul had 15 points, 11 assists, eight boards and four steals. West missed his first 8 shots in the game before finding his groove.

Nadal and Nalbandian in the Paris finals

2007-11-04T03:26:00.000-08:00

David Nalbandian deltroyed Richard Gasquet 6-2 6-4 to advance to the finals of the Paris Masters agains Rafael Nadal. This will be his second consecutive Masters series after beating Roger Federer in the Madrid Masters. He also beat seemingly unstoppable Federer in the 3rd round of the tourney, showing everyone it was no fluke.

2007-11-04T03:18:00.000-08:00

Yao powered the Rockets with 21 points and 12 rebounds as Houston beat Portland 89-80. Houston started with an 18-4 run in the 1st period and never looked back from there. Mcgrady added 20 for the team. The Nets bounced back from their dismal blowout by Toronto with a 93-88 win over the 76ers. Jason Kidd showed again he's Mr. Triple Double with 16 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists, while Jefferson and Carter added 22 and 18. The Pacers are off to a good start this season with a 3-0 start beating the Grizzlies 121-111. Mike Dunleavy led the team with 27 points.

Hingis retires again, denies cocaine use

2007-11-03T07:18:00.000-07:00

Martina's comeback is cut short as she retired for the 2nd time from tennis, after announcing in a news conference that although she tested positive for cocaine, she maintains that she is innocent. Last year after coming back from retirement, she reached two Grand Slam semis and ended the year ranked no. 7.

Boston triumvirate debuts with a bang

2007-11-03T04:14:00.000-07:00

The Celtics opened its season with amessage to everyone as by routing the Wizards 103-83. Garnett demonstrated his all-around greatness with 22 points, 20 rebounds, five assists, three blocks and three steals, while Pierce scored 28 points and Ray Allen added 17. Bryant didn't have to do it all and had alot of help from his teammates in demolishing the Suns 119-98. Vladimir Radmanovic shot 4-for-4 triples and scored 19 points in leading the Lakers. Kobe added 16 points and 11 boards. Amare Stoudamire shot only 2-for-10 and had only 4 points and 1 rebound for the Suns. Lebron showed some of "Mike-like" greatness scoring 45 points helping the Cavs to edge the Knicks 110-106. Just like Mike, he also found himself a great sidekick as Daniel Gibson shot 4 three-pointers(most of them coming off James) in just over two minutes in the final period en route to 24 points for the Cavs.

Rockets get back at Jazz

2007-11-02T04:27:00.000-07:00

With Yao Ming in foul trouble, T-Mac exploded for 47 points to lead the Rockets over the Jazz 106-95. Last post season the Jazz eliminated the Rockets in 7 games during the first round of playoffs. Amare Stoudamire continued his successful recovery from indury with 23 points and 11 boards as the Suns came back from behind and beat the Sonics 106-99. Durant still showed his game with 27 points on 11 of 23 shooting. Shaq couldn't carry the Heat on his own and the Heat succumbed to the Pistons 80 to 91. Tayshaun Prince had a career-high 34 points and tied his career-best 12 rebounds for the Pistons.

NBA season heating up

2007-11-01T00:18:00.000-07:00

Lots of action this second day of the NBA season. Bucks rookie Yi Jianlian showed some promise of what he can become scoring 9 on 4 of 5 shooting, but fouled out in a loss to Orlando 102-83. Rashad Lewis topbilled for the Magic with 26 points, missing only 4 shots. Gilbert Arenas led the Wizards with 34 points, playing for the 1st time since having an injury at the end of last season, but his team still fell to the Pacers in OT, 110-119. Antoine Wright might have his future with the Nets uncertain at the end of the season, but he came through big time in his opening game with a career high 21 points, leading the Nets to a 112-103 victory over the Bull. The Spurs came back in the final period to beat the Grizzlies 104-101 and win for the 2nd straight night. Lebron James and the Cavaliers didn't look like last season's runner-up when they got blown out by the Mavericks 92-74. And Kevin Durant's pro-debut was spoiled by Carmelo Anthony's Nuggets as they were routed 120-103. Durant had 18 points, but Carmelo finished with 32 to top the game.

Texas brothers win

2007-10-31T08:44:00.000-07:00

The Spurs displayed their championship banner, promptly checked their championship rings, and did their job beating the Blazers 106-97. Duncan led the charge with 24 and 13 while Parker added 19 markers. Kobe was heading for a late game comeback win but was cut short when Battier shot a three with over 2 seconds left in the game. Kobe had 45 points including 18 in the final period, but it was not enough to offset Yao's 25 and 12 along with Mcgrady's 30 points. The Rockets almost let the Lakers come back by squandering a 14-point lead, when the Lakers when on a 13-0 run that tied the game with 13 seconds left.

Tommys advance

2007-10-31T08:33:00.000-07:00

Spaniard Tommy Robredo and German Tommy Haas both advance to the third round, still hoping to qualify for the final two spots of the Master's Cup Final. Both of them needed 3 sets to beat their respective foes.

More tennis gambling exposed

2007-10-30T04:27:00.000-07:00

Clement put more fire into the tennis gambling issue by going public and saying he's been offered money to throw away a match. Frenchman Arnaud Clement is a former top 10 player, giving more heads-up to his statement. He didn't say though who bribed him with the money. Hopefully this will be acted on by the ATP or world pro tennis will be tarnished like many other sports.

Federer Clinches Number 1 Ranking

2007-10-29T03:46:00.000-07:00

Roger Federer won in the Swiss indoors event in Basel over Jarkko Nieminen 6-3, 6-4 to clinch the year-end no. 1 ranking, joining Sampras, McEnroe, Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendl for ending the season at number 1 at least 4 times. Last week, Federer lost to David Nalbandian in the Madrid Masters final.

Long layoff

2007-10-24T04:09:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the long vacation, I'll be updating the site again. The NBA season is gonna start soon, the preseason is currently ongoing.

Heat trashes Mavericks, evens series

2006-06-15T21:52:00.000-07:00

The Heat are starting to show its power as Wade had 36 points and while Shaq added 17 and 13 rebounds to pummel the Mavs 98-74. Nowitzki had his lowest output in field goals making only 2 out of 14. The Mavericks set a finals record by scoring only 7 points in the 4th quarter. Stackhouse will be suspended on the next game because of a hard foul on Shaq.

Wade and Heat wins one

2006-06-15T04:15:00.000-07:00

Wade poured out 42 points despite ailing from a sore knee to bring the Heat to a 98-96 win over the Mavericks. The Mavericks limited O'Neal to just 16 points but had no answer to Wade's wide array of jumpers and layups as well as his great defensive play. Nowitzki led the charge with 30 for the Mavericks while Josh Howard added 21.

Nadal beats Federer again, takes Roland Garrros

2006-06-11T10:43:00.000-07:00

The best claycourt player just beat the best tennis player in the world today. Nadal shrugged off a poor first set performance to beat Federer for the fourth straight time this year 1-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-6. Federer is 44-0 against everyone except for Nadal, who is 4-0 against him. Nadal now extends his incredible claycourt winning streak to 60, and is the youngest player to win 2 consecutive French Open titles since 1975.
In the women's final, Henin also proved she's the best female claycourt player right now, beating Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-4, 6-4 to win her third Roland Garros crown in four years. She became the first woman to win 2 straight French Open titles since Steffi Graf in 1995-96.

Records clash, Federer and Nadal in finals again

2006-06-10T07:31:00.000-07:00

Two record streaks, but only 1 will remain, as Federer and Nadal continue their dominance as they meet in the finals of the French Open. Federer advanced to the finals leading Nalbadian 3-6, 6-4, 5-2 before Nalbadian retired from abnominal muscle injury. Nadal had an easier time beating Ljubicic 6-4 6-2 7-6. Federer will try to prove he can beat Nadal in clay, with Nadal beating Federer 4 straight times already with a 5-1 record against Federer.

Dallas takes Game 1

2006-06-10T07:23:00.000-07:00

No, it wasn't Nowitzki, or even Josh Howard who took the charge. It was Jason Terry who clicked with 32 points to lead the Mavericks to victory 90-80 to take Game 1 of the NBA finals. Nowitzki and Howard combined for just 7-for-28 shots, while Terry hit 13 of 18 in an impressive finals performance. Wade led the Heat with 28 but had a quiet fourth quarter, while Shaq had just 17 points and 7 boards, including a dismal 1 out of 9 free throws.

Nadal, Federer in Semis, Henin vs Clijsters

2006-06-08T05:32:00.000-07:00

Nadal continues to extend his stellar claycourt record with the 58th straight win when his opponent Novak Djokovic retired 4-6, 4-6 down in the match. He will face 4th seed IvanLjubicic who is in his first ever Grand Slam semis appearance in 27 tries.
Fellow Belgians Justine Henin-Hardenne and Kim Clijsters will face each other in an all Belgian semifinal. Henin brushed off Germany's Anna-Lena Groenefeld 7-5 6-2 while Clijsters overcame comeback player Hingis 7-6(5) 6-1.

Sharapova falls, Venus advances

2006-06-04T11:38:00.000-07:00

Sharapova totally lost it, as she let Safina come back 5-1 down in the 3rd set to upset with a 7-5, 2-6, 7-5 comeback victory. Mauresmo also fell to 17-year-old Nicole Vaidisova 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-2, not her first time being upset here in Roland Garros. Venus was able to get through beating Patty Schnyder 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Dallas in finals

2006-06-04T11:25:00.000-07:00

The Mavericks clamped down on the Suns' offense to win 102-93 and advance to its first NBA finals appearance. Nowitzki had 16 of his 24 points in the second half, and Josh Howard added 20 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Mavericks. Boris Diaw scored 30 points took 11 rebounds for the Suns.

Nadal extends win streak, Federer advances

2006-06-02T21:46:00.000-07:00

Nadal's winning streak is now at 55 with his 6-2 6-1 6-4 2nd round win over American Kevin Kim. Federer had a more difficult time advancing to the 4th round, beating Nicolas Massu 6-1 6-2 6-7 7-5. On 3rd round women's matches, Mauresmo, Sharapova, and Venus Williams all won their matches.

Shaq dominates, leads Heat

2006-06-02T21:40:00.000-07:00

Shaq took over making 28 points and taking down 16 rebounds to lead the Heat 95-78 pver the Pistons, with the Heat now advancing to the NBA finals. With Wade coming from the hosipital and ailing- making 14 points only, Jason Williams stepped up big with 21 points on 10-for-12 shooting. Hamilton led the Pistons with 33 points, but got little help from his teammates.

Nowitzki explodes for 50

2006-06-01T21:46:00.000-07:00

After a very dismal performance in the previous game, Nowitzki exploded for 50 points to bring the Mavericks to a 117-101 win over the Suns. Nowitzki shot 14-for-26 from the floor and 17-for-18 from the line.

Pistons cuts Heat series lead

2006-06-01T11:40:00.000-07:00

The Pistons went back to their patented defense with Wallace stuffing O'Neal's dunk attempt at one time to win 91-78. Tayshaun Prince led the Pistons with a career-high 29 points. The Heat failed to score in the final 3 1/2 minutes as the Pistons pulled away for good. Wade led the Heat with 23 points.

Roddick injured in French Open

2006-05-30T21:56:00.000-07:00

Roddick continues his bad lack at the French Open, this time aggravating his ankle injury forcing him to retire at 6-4, 7-5, 1-0 with Alberto Martin leading.
Martina Hingis advanced to the second round brushing off Lisa Raymond 6-2, 6-2. The French Open is the only Grand Slam she has never won before.

Phoenix evens series

2006-05-30T21:52:00.000-07:00

The Mavericks took a beating as the Suns won with a blowout 106-86. Barbosa led the charge with 24 points on 10-for-13 shooting, while Nash had 21 and Boris Diaw added 20. Nowitzki put up one of his worst games this season with 11 points on 3-for-13 shooting.

Nadal Wins, sets new record

2006-05-29T21:54:00.000-07:00

Nadal beat Swede Robin Soderling 6-2, 7-5, 6-1 to set the longest Open Era claycourt winning streak, beating Guillermo Vilas' 1977 record. James Blake also won over Paradorn Srichaphan 6-0, 6-4, 7-6 (7-2). He is on course to meet Nadal in the quarters. On the women's side, Clijsters and Venus Williams are among those who advanced to the second round.

Heat with commanding 3-1 lead

2006-05-29T21:49:00.000-07:00

The Heat are proving the critics wrong, and they're beating the conference champs when it counts the most- in the playoffs. Wade had 12 of his 31 points in the final period to lead the Heat 89-78 over the Pistons. O'Neal also contributed 21 points and 9 boards for the Heat. Tayshaun Prince scored 15 points and Billups added 14 for the Pistons.

Dallas takes lead

2006-05-28T21:47:00.000-07:00

Dallas limited the Suns to just 88 points en route to a 95-88 victory. Some sparks flied when Suns' Tim Thomas and Maverick Jason Terry had a shoving match in the first half as both were given technicals. Nowitzki had 28 points and 17 rebounds while Josh Howard added 22 points and 12 rebounds for the Mavericks. Nash led the Suns with 21 points and 7 assists.

Heat takes home advantage

2006-05-28T03:33:00.000-07:00

The dynamic duo in Wade and O'Neal were dominant as the Heat is able to take a 2-1 lead, winning over the Pistons 98-83. Wade had 35 points, while O'Neal added 27 points and 12 rebounds as they combined for a blistering 75% field goal shooting for the Heat. Chauncey Billups scored 31 points to lead the Pistons.

Dallas stop Suns with Defense

2006-05-26T21:58:00.000-07:00

Nowitzki had 30 points, 14 rebounds and six assists, while Josh Howard added 29 points as the Mavericks won over the Suns 105-98 to tie the series 1-1. Both teams are known for their offensive firepower, but Dallas showed that it can play defense- limiting the Suns to a season-low 17 points in the first quarter. Nash led the Suns with 176 points and 11 assists.

Pistons even series with Heat

2006-05-25T21:47:00.000-07:00

Miami almost made it 2-0, rampaging with 17 points in the final 1:46 mark. The Pistons however held to to even the series winning 92-88. Tayshaun Prince had a career playoff high with 24 points and 11 rebounds, while Hamilton added 22 points to lead the Pistons. Wade and O'Neal were spectacular for the Heat, with 32 points, seven rebounds and five assists, and 21 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks respectively.

Dallas, Phoenix advance to conference finals

2006-05-23T10:44:00.000-07:00

Nowitzki and the Mavericks proved the critics wrong, they finally put down the Spurs 119-111 in overtime to win game 7. Nowitzki led the assault with 37 points and 15 rebounds, and Jason Terry came back from suspension to score 27. Duncan paced the Spurs with 40 points and 15 rebounds.
Nash was superb with 29 points and 11 assists making 4 of 5 3-pointers to lead the Suns over the Clippers 127-107. Marion had 30 points with 5 of 9 3-pointers. The Suns had a field day shooting, making 60% of their shots and 15 of 27 3-pointers. Elton Brand powered the Clippers with 36 points and nine rebounds, but it wasn't enough to overcome the barage of shots from the Suns.

Hingis beats Venus in semis

2006-05-20T23:25:00.000-07:00

Martina came back from a 1st set blowout to beat Venus 0-6, 6-3, 6-3 and advance to the Italian Open final. She will meet Dinara Safina(Safin's sister) in the final. Safina beat Svetlana Kuznetsova 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 in the other semifinal. This could be MArtina's first title since returning from her injury after 3 years of absense.

Spurs, Pistons force game 7

2006-05-20T23:06:00.000-07:00

Duncan had foul trouble throughout, but Ginobili took over and led the Spurs with 30 points and 10 boards for a 91-86 victory over the Mavericks, forcing game 7 at their home turf. Former Maverick Finley was being booed all game but had 16 points to help the Spurs with the win.
The Pistons showed their playoff experience with an 84-82 win over the Cavaliers, forcing game 7. Rasheed Wallace had 24 points and Hamilton added 17 for the Pistons. Lebron led the Cavaliers with 32 points, 11 rebounds and five assists, but had 7 turnovers.

Cavaliers upset Pistons, Spurs still alive

2006-05-18T09:19:00.000-07:00

It was a 2-0 Detroit lead, not Cleveland is up 3-2. Talk about upsets, the Cavaliers pulled off another stunning victory 86-84 to win three straight and get within one of eliminating the Pistons. James had 32 points and Drew Gooden took a game-winning shot to lead the Cavaliers with victory.
The Spurs aren't ready yet to retire from the playoffs. They slugged it out and pulled off a close 98-97 win over the Mavericks, behind Duncan's 36 points with 12 rebounds and Parker's 27. Duncan was virtually unstoppable, making his first 12 shots of the game. Nowitzki paced the Mavericks with 31 points and 10 boards.

Heat finish off Nets, Suns take lead

2006-05-17T04:16:00.000-07:00

Wade made a steal on the Nets' last play and the Heat finished of the Nets 106-105 to take the series 4-1. Antoine Walker had 23 points, and Wade added 21 as 6 players from Heat were in double figures in a balanced team effort. Carter and Jefferson each had 33 points for the Nets.
The Suns are being stretched to their limits, but they still prevail over the Clippers in double overtime 125-118 to take a 3-2 series lead. Shawn Marion had another huge game with 36 points and a career playoff-high 20 rebounds, to offset Elton Brand's 33 points and 15 rebounds and Cassell's 27 second half points.

Cavaliers tie series, Mavericks close to win series

2006-05-16T04:12:00.000-07:00

The Pistons are known for their defense, but it was the Cavaliers who used it to win the game. Rasheed Wallace's prediction for a win came out flat as the Cavaliers upset the Pistons 74-72 to tie the series 2-2. Lebron had an all-around game with 22 points, 8 rebounds and 9 assists to lead the Cavs.
Seems alot of people including me are falling flat on playoff predictions, who would've thought that the Mavericks would take a 3-1 lead, following their 123-118 overtime upset over the former champs. Nowitzki led the Mavericks with 28, while Duncan had another solid 31 points, 13 rebounds, six assists and three blocks, which wasn't enough yet again to give the Spurs the win.

Nadal outlasts Federer in Rome final

2006-05-16T04:07:00.000-07:00

Well, seems like Nadal proved that he's got Federer's number, winning for the fourth straight time. He beat the no.1 ranked Swiss 6-7 (0), 7-6 (5), 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (5) in a long and tiring match and won his second consecutive Masters final, again over Federer. All of Federer's losses this year came from Nadal. This must have taken alot out of the two though, as they both withdrew from the Hamburg Masters Series. Nadal tied Guillermo Vilas' record for winning 53 straight matches on clay in the Open era, and can extend it in the French Open

Federer vs Nadal #2- Rome Masters final

2006-05-14T04:38:00.000-07:00

Surprise surprise, its again Federer and Nadal for the 2nd consecutive Masters Series final. Federer escaped in the semis with a 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (5) win over No.3 seed Nalbadian. Nadal meanwhile breezed through French Gael Monfils 6-2, 6-2. Although Nadal seems to be poised to beat Federer again, I'mm still slightly favoring Federer since it's a bit hard to believe for him to lose alot of times to the same opponent.

Cavaliers take 1, Spurs crumble

2006-05-14T04:31:00.000-07:00

The Cavaliers aren't just going to allow the Pistons to sweep them away. Lebron had his second double-double of the playoffs with 21 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, along with 4 steals, to lead the Cavaliers to a much-needed 86-77 win over Detroit. The Pistons shot only 39 percent from the field, and was led by Hamilton's 22 and Billups 20.
Dallas wants to prove that the Spurs and Pistons will be the story of the 2006 finals. The Spurs fumbled their last chance to win the game and the Mavericks escaped with a 104-103 victory. Nowitzki had a field day from the foul line, scoring 21 of his 27 points from free throws. Duncan was again incredible with 35 points and 12 rebounds, but still it wasn't enough to win the game.

Heat, Suns take 2-1 lead

2006-05-13T21:06:00.000-07:00

The Heat took back home-court advantage beating the Nets 103-92. It was Wade vs. Carter in the final period, with Wade outscoring the Nets 15-11 during a span, and Carter scoring the last 13 points of the Nets. But Wade got help from his team, while Carter had almost no help at all from Kidd and Jefferson, who were heavily guarded.
Phoenix took a different approach and won game 3 with defense over the Clippers 94-91. The Suns won despite having 37.2% field goal shooting and scoring below 100, and they limited the Clippers to 42%. Marion dominated inside out with 32 points and 19 rebounds, while Kurt Thomas had 19 and 14.

Federer and Nadal still strong

2006-05-12T04:34:00.000-07:00

Federer and Nadal continued their dominance in clay brushing aside Radek Stepanek 6-1 6-4 and Tim Henman 6-2 6-2 respectively. They're still on track to meet in the finals. Nalbandian and Roddick also advanced to the quarters.

Heat and Clippers get even

2006-05-12T04:28:00.000-07:00

The Heat aren't taking game 1 lightly. Opposite of what happened in game 1, the Heat took off with a 25-4 run in the 1st quarter behind 17 from Wade and never looked backed as they cruised to a 111-89 victory over the Nets. Shaq added 21 for the Heat. Carted scored 22 for the Nets, and Jefferson played for the team, adding 16.
The Clippers definitely showed the Suns's lack of size, dominating the boards 57-26 in a 122-97 rout of the Suns. All five starters from the Clippers were in double figures, led by Elton Brand's 27 and 10.

Nadal still unstoppable in clay

2006-05-10T03:48:00.000-07:00

Rafael Nadal continued his impressive 48th straight win in clay beating no less than Carlos Moya 6-1, 2-6, 6-2. Moya has been known as one of the better veteran clay players. Coria still seems to be out of the loop as the former Roland Garros champion lost to little known Spaniard Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo. Two other former Roland Garros champions lost, Gaudio and Ferrero. Seeded players Nalbadian, Roddickm and Safin advanced.

Pistons take 2-0 lead, Mavericks upend Spurs

2006-05-09T21:40:00.000-07:00

Lebron tried to stage a comeback with 23 of his 30 points in the 2nd half, but it was a little too late as the Pistons still prevailed over the Cavaliers 97-91 to take a 2-0 lead. Rasheed Wallace led the Pistons with 29 points while Tayshaun Prince added 20. Ben Wallace had a double double with 10 points and 15 rebounds.
In a supposed to be hard fought match, the Mavericks surprised the Spurs with a 113-91 blowout. With a 15-3 run in the 2nd period, the Mavericks took a 21-point lead that they didn't relinquish. Josh Howard powered the Mavericks with 27 points, while Nowitzki contributed 21 and Devin Harris added 20. The series is now tied 1-1.

Nets take Home advantage

2006-05-08T21:51:00.000-07:00

Its now the playoffs, but the Nets still dominated the Heat like their regular season matchups with a 100-88 win to take the home-court advantage. Carter had 27 points and Kidd added 22 and Jefferson had 20 for the Nets. One bad news for them though, Jefferson injured his ankle and is not sure to play for game 2. Wade had 25 points for Miami, but Shaq didn't play well and was in foul trouble in the 1st half- getting most of his 20 points and 10 rebounds in the second half when the game was almost out of reach.

Clijsters takes J&S Cup

2006-05-07T21:56:00.000-07:00

Top seeded Clijsters beat Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia 7-5, 6-2 to take the J&S Cup title. I thought Kuznetsova was gonna take this one cause last year she beat Clijsters in this tourney, but Clijsters proved she still is in her best form.

Spurs edge Mavericks, Pistons blowout Cavaliers

2006-05-07T21:48:00.000-07:00

Come the playoffs, you wouldn't expect anything less of Duncan to raise his A game. Without much double-teaming most of the game, Duncan was unstoppable with 31 points on 50% shooting and 13 rebounds, carrying the Spurs to the 87-85 victory. Bruce Bowen was also a big help limiting Nowitzki to just 20 points.
On the other game, take competition out of the equation. The Pistons demolished the Cavaliers 113-86. Despite 22 points from Lebron in the 1st half, the Cavaliers were still down by 21 at halftime. And Lebron didn't even score in the second half, so there's no points predicting the outcome of the game.

Kuznetsova and Clijsters in J&S Cup finals

2006-05-06T22:11:00.000-07:00

4th seed Svetlana Kuznetsova seems to be in great form, she just breezed through Anna Chakvetadze 6-1, 6-1. Clijsters also advanced to the finals by beating 3rd seed Dementieva 7-5, 6-4.

Suns prevail over the Lakers

2006-05-06T21:53:00.000-07:00

It's official, the Suns just pummeled the Lakers 121-20 to win the series from behind despite being down 1-3. The fast running Suns had a holiday doing fast breaks and layups from the first quarter, and never had a problem with losing their lead. The Lakers had little teamwork show, handing out 10 assists only throughout the game. Kobe had 24 points but had just 1 assist. Phil Jackson lost in the first round of playoffs for the first time in his career by-the-way!

Cavaliers and Spurs advance

2006-05-06T19:06:00.000-07:00

Lebron carrid the Cavaliers throughout the game playing 53 minutes with 32 points, but it was Damon Jones who gave them the win. Jones made a 17 foot jumper 4.8 seconds left in overtime to life Cleveland over Washington 114-113. Winning the series 4-2, this is the first playoff appearance for the Cavaliers since 1993. They meet th Pistons in the second round.
Parker got a new playoff career-high wiith 31 points to lead the Spurs 105-83 over the resilient Kings. It wasn't expected that the Kings would stretch the series this far, but the Spurs showed their true championship form, blowing out the Kings in game 6. Bruce Bowen and Duncan added 16 and 15 respectively for the Spurs, who shot a crisp 50.6% from the field.

Clijsters advances to semis, Venus falls

2006-05-05T21:57:00.000-07:00

World No.2 Kim Clijsters advanced to the semi-finals by beating 5th seed Italian Francesca Schiavone 6-4 6-4. Venus however fell to Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-4,6-2. Venus had too many errors causing her to lose the match.

Phoenix forces do-or-die game

2006-05-05T04:15:00.000-07:00

Kobe got a new career playoff-high, but it was the Suns who left the game with the win. Two big 3-pointers from Tim Thomas and 6 points each from Shawn Marion and Boris Diaw lifted the Suns over the Lakers 126-118 in overtime. Kobe made 13 of the Lakers' 14 points in OT but it wasn't enough, now there'll be a game 7 up for grabs with Phoenix at home-court advantage.

Venus outlasts Hingis at J&S Cup

2006-05-05T04:09:00.000-07:00

Over 3 years since they last met, but it was Venus Williams who came up on top in 3 sets winning 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 over Martina Hingis, despite having leg cramps in the 3rd set. Venus was down 1-3 in the 3rd set, but was able to overcome and played through her cramping to advance to the quarters.

Nets and Heat meet in second round

2006-05-04T21:39:00.000-07:00

Former Net Anthony Johnson erupted for 40 points but it wasn't enough as the Pacers lost to the Nets 90-96. Richard Jefferson had 30 points while Vince Carter added 24 for the Nets, who won the series 4-2. Peja Stovakovic missed the game again due to a sore right knee. He played only in 2 games in the series, wherein both games were wno by the Pacers.
The Heat totally dominated the Bulls throughout the game, with Shaquille O'Neal powering with 30 points and 20 rebounds, and Dwayne Wade adding 23 points. Kirk Hinrich scored 23 points and Ben Gordon put in 21 for the Bulls.

Venus Williams wins first match in 2006

2006-05-03T21:52:00.000-07:00

Hard to believe it, but Venus Williams won just her first match this year, with a 6-3,6-3 victory over Urszula Radwanska from Poland in the J&S Cup. Venus was sidelined since January at her loss in the Australian Open due to a n elbow injury. She meets Martina Hingis in the second round, which looks to be an exciting match. Top seed Kim Clijsters also beat advanced to the second round with a 6-3.6-2 win over Ukraine qualifier Julia Vakulenko.

Pistons destroy Bucks, Cavaliers edge Wizards

2006-05-03T21:45:00.000-07:00

Richard Hamilton exploded for 40 points and the Pistons totally shut down the Bucks to win 122-93, ending the series 4-1. This was the highest playoff score for the Pistons since 1987. Michael Redd led the Bucks with 23 markers.
Lebron James took the first of his career defining shots with a layup 0.9 secs left in overtime to lead the Cavaliers over the Wizards 121-120. James finished with 45 points for the Cavaliers, who are now ahead 3-2. Gilbert Arenas almost matched Lebron with 44 points for the Wizards.

Spurs, Suns hold off rivals

2006-05-03T04:16:00.000-07:00

Manu Ginobili bounced back and took 13 of his 27 points in the final quarter to bring the Spurs to a 3-2 lead over the Kings. Despite Bonzi Wells's 38 and Artest's 24, the Kings weren't able to stop the Spurs from taking the 109-98 win. Tim Duncan had 24 and Tony Parker added 21 for the Spurs.
The Suns easily dismantled the Lakers 114-97, and Boris Diaw proved that he deserved his Most Improved PLayer award with 25 points, 10 rebounds, and 9 assists. Kobe Bryant was kicked out of the game with 29 points, just over 3 minutes left in the game. Phoenix's Raja Bell was also thrown out earlier, with 7:33 minutes left. The Suns lead the Lakers 3-2 in the series.

Nets, Heat up 3-2

2006-05-02T21:36:00.000-07:00

Vince Carter tied the score with spectacular dunk less than 30 seconds left in the game and the Nets escaped with the victory over the Pacers, 92-86. Carter had a great performance with 34 points and 15 rebounds, Jason Kidd had 19 points and 11 assists, while Richard Jefferson aded 24 as all three Nets starters displayed great form in the game. Again Peja Stojakovic missed the game. Jermaine O'Neal led the Pacers with 19 points.
In Miami, Dwayne Wade had 28 points and Shaquille O'Neal added 16 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Heat over the Bulls 92-78. The Heat are now within one game of reaching the 2nd round.

Mavericks and Clippers first in second round

2006-05-02T04:10:00.000-07:00

Not really what I was expecting, but the first teams to advance to the 2nd round are the Mavericks and Clippers. Thought Memphis would put up a tougher fight in the series, but the Mavericks totally trashed them 102-76 to sweep the series. Dirk Nowitzki led the charge with 27 points on 12-of-21 shooting, while Josh Howard added 24. Pau Gasol led the Grizzlies by 25 but got almost no help from his teammates, with only Mike Miller in double figures adding 10 points.
The Clippers are proving they were alot more than was expected of them, finishing the Nuggets 101-83 to win the series 4-1. Cutino Mobley and Corey Maggette each had 23 points, and Elton Brand still played impressibly with 21 points and 13 rebounds, the leading Clippers to their first second round appearance in 30 years.
The Pistons got their third win over Bucks with a 109-99 victory, needing only one mroe to advance. Chauncey Billups sparked the Pistons with 34 points with 16-for-16 free throw shooting, including 13 points in the final period.

Wizards stop Cavaliers, Kings pummel Spurs

2006-05-01T04:00:00.000-07:00

Lebron James waxed hot in the first half, but it was Gilbert Arenas who finished strong in the second half and led his team to win, 106=96, over the Cavaliers. Afer a woeful 1-of-9 shooting in the first half, Arenas came back with 28 of his 34 points in the second half. James had a franchise playoff record 25 points in the first half, but his 13 points in the second half wasn't enough to get the Cavaliers the win.
The Spurs couldn't do anything to stop Bonzi Wells's dominant effort. With Wells's 25 point 17 rebound double-double, on 9-of-11 shooting, the Kings grounded the Spurts 102-84. Tony Parker had 22 and Tim Duncan added 17 for the Spurs, but no one else was in double figures.

Lakers and Bulls upset foes

2006-04-30T21:32:00.000-07:00

Kobe Bryant posted 2 huge buzzer-beating shots in regulation and overtime to lead the Lakers over the Suns 99-98. Lamar Odom led the Lakers with 25 points, and Bryant added 24. The Lakers surprisingly are ahead in the series, 3-1.
The Bulls took advantage of another bad game from Shaquille O'Neal to post another upset over the Heat, 93-87, tying the series even 2-2. O'Neal had foul trouble throughout the game, and Antoine Walker's 21 and Dwayne Wade's 20 weren't enough to compensate for O'Neal's subpar game. Andres Nocioni had 24 and Ben Gordon added 23 to lead the Bulls

Cavaliers, Kings, Lakers escape with wins

2006-04-29T03:33:00.000-07:00

Lebron James made a 4-foot bank shot with 5.7 seconds left to lead Cleveland over Washington 97-96. James exploded for a franchise playoff-record 41 points and made 16 of 28 shots, and now put the Cavaliers up 2-1. Gilbert Arenas tried to compete with James- making 17 of his 34 points in the final period, but it wasn't enough as he missed the potential game winning three in the final seconds.

The Kings continued their inspired play from Game two and Kevin Martin took the biggest shot of his career as the Kings were able to steal Game 3 from the Spurs, 94-93. Martin's twisting layup shot bounced three times before falling into the rim, similar to Brent Barry's regulation game-tying 3-pointer. The Kings were not able to stop Duncan from dominating the game with 29 points on 12-of-20 shooting and 12 boards, but were still able to carve out the win with Mike Bibby putting out 25 points and Ron Artest adding 22 points and 12 rebounds.

The Lakers tried a different formula, and it worked, as all its starters reached double-digits in the team effort 99-92 win over the Suns. Kobe Bryant had just 17 points, but Lamar Odom, Kwame Brown, and Luke Walton all had huge double-double nights, with 15 points and 17 rebounds, 13 points and 11 rebounds, 17 points and 10 rebounds respectively. Steve Nash led the Suns with 17 points and 11 assists, but were totally outrebounded by the Lakers 53-34.