Al Hoford

Post Game Notes and other news from around the NBA: May 9, 2012.

By Guest Contributors

May 09, 2012 at 10:40 AM

MAGIC/PACERS

Danny Granger scored 25 points to help the Pacers defeat the Orlando Magic 105-87 on Tuesday night and clinch their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series 4-1.
Darren Collison scored 15 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter and George Hilladded 15 points for the Pacers.
Nelson led Orlando with 27 points and made 5 of 8 3-pointers. Glen Davis, a thorn in Indiana’s side throughout the series, scored 15 but made just 6 of 17 shots.

CELTICS/HAWKS

Al Horford scored 19 points, hit Atlanta’s final two baskets and came up with a huge defensive play helping the the Hawks keep their season alive with a 87-86 victory over the Boston Celtics in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference playoffs Tuesday night.
Boston had a chance to clinch the series when Rajon Rondo stole Josh Smith‘s inbounds pass with 10 seconds remaining and raced down the court, looking for the winner.
Rondo got into a jam along the sideline as Horford jumped out to protect him which caused Rondo to lose control and chuck a desperation pass, which was tipped by Josh Smith out of bounds as the buzzers sounded.
Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett led the Celtics with 16 points apiece. Rondo had 13 points and 12 assists.
Smith clearly looked hobbled by a sore knee that kept him out of Game 3 but still managed 13 points and 16 rebounds. Jeff Teague had 16 points, while Johnson and Marvin Williams had 15 apiece.

76ers/Bulls

Luol Deng scored 24 points, Carlos Boozer added 19 points and 13 rebounds and Chicago beat the Philadelphia 76ers 77-69 on Tuesday night to avoid a first-round playoff exit.
Deng hit 4 of 5 3-poin attempts and Boozer tied a career playoff high with six assists.
Jrue Holiday scored 16 points for Philadelphia but hit just 5 of 17 shots. Lou Williams scored 13 points and Andre Iguodala and Spencer Hawes both finished with 11.

NUGGETS/LAKERS

Andre Miller scored 24 points, including two free throws with 12.8 seconds left, and Denver survived Bryant’s late scoring barrage in a 43-point performance, avoiding playoff elimination with a 102-99 victory over Los Angeles in Game 5.
JaVale McGee had 21 points and 14 rebounds for the Nuggets.
Denver had a 15-point lead midway through the fourth quarter against the Lakers, but Bryant led a stunning comeback before his final three shots missed.
Bryant scored 12 points over the final 4:45, hitting four 3-pointers that trimmed the Nuggets’ lead to 98-96 with 59 seconds left.
Arron Afflalo scored a career playoff-high 19 points and Danilo Gallinari added 14 for the Nuggets, while rookie Kenneth Faried had 10 points and nine rebounds.
Andrew Bynum had 16 points and 11 rebounds for the Lakers, after he suggested the Nuggets were going to fold to them in this “closeout game.”

Five Factors: Celtics-Hawks Playoff Preview

By Chris Sheridan

April 27, 2012 at 9:28 AM

This is probably going to be our last look at Boston’s Big Three — unless, of course, they win the championship and Wyc Grousbeck is forced to pony up a fortune in luxury taxes to keep the team together for one more year. Oh, and he needs to find a center, too. The Hawks get no respect, but that is to be expected when they come up with their annual spring flameout. Judging from the predictions below, a majority still feels they are headed for yet another one. Here are five things to watch for in the first-round playoff series between the Atlanta Hawks and the Boston Celtics:

THE DISRESPECT FACTOR: It was only a week ago that Doc Rivers showed what he thought of the Hawks by giving Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett the night off and leaving Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen and Mickael Pietrus behind in Boston to have their injuries treated. Rivers did that despite it being an important game, as homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs was at stake. The Celtics still managed to lose by just 5 points despite using a starting lineup of Greg Stiesma, Brandon Bass, Sasha Pavlovic, Avery Bradley and Keyon Dooling, but the disrespect of blowing off a game — basically saying it wouldn’t matter where a Game 7 was played — will be a motivating factor for the Hawks.
THE AL HORFORD FACTOR: Atlanta’s center has been sidelined since Jan. 9 with a torn pectoral muscle, but he has been practicing with the team, and he said he expected to be able to give the team 15 minutes per night in the first round — but then backed off that comment. Someone’s playing possum, perhaps? This is no small issue, as it would give the Hawks another formidable low-post scoring option and a capable rebounder. And this could be a series that is won on the boards, what with the Celtics ranking 30th (deal last) in the league in that category. With Zaza Pachulia, Josh Smith, Marvin Williams and Ivan Johnson, there is a massive size advantage for the Hawks.
THE OVER THE HILL FACTOR: Boston’s championship contending window is closing. That has been clear all season, and that is why Danny Ainge was ready to trade Ray Allen to Memphis and Paul Pierce to New Jersey at the trade deadline in order to speed up the rebuilding process. Allen is almost 37 and has lost his starting job to Avery Bradley. Garnett turns 36 in May and will be a free agent this summer. Pierce is 34 (although I’d still take him second, behind Kobe Bryant, as the guy I want taking my last shot).
THE BACKCOURT FACTOR: Here is where the Celtics have a major edge. Rajon Rondo is 10 times the player that Jeff Teague is, Avery Bradley is a strong defender who can slide over and spell Pierce in giving Joe Johnson fits (especially if Johnson tries to do too much against a perceived nobody), and Ray Allen as a sixth man is something we’ll have to wait and see on. Allen certainly tailed of as the season progressed. In early February, he was shooting 56 percent from behind the arc. He has been below 40 percent since.
THE COACHING FACTOR: Larry Drew has a career playoff coaching record of 6-6, and he did get the Hawks past the Orlando Magic last season. But Doc Rivers has 95 playoff games under his belt, 83 of them over the past four seasons with the Celtics. He exudes confidence, and he has a squad of some of the most intense human beings ever to lace up a pair of kicks. If Drew has some motivational magic, he’d better unbottle it so that his team can match the energy, focus and experience they are about to encounter.

PREDICTIONS:

SHERIDAN: Hawks in 7.