Celtics 114 Heat 94: Jayson Tatum with a triple-double to lead Boston to a 1-0 series lead. Tatum scored 23 points, pulled down 10 rebounds and dished out 10 assists. Towards the end of the game Tatum went for a rebound and was knocked down by the Heat’s Caleb Martin. No big deal. It wasn’t a dirty play. Bam Adebayo led Miami with 24 points. The Heat played without Jimmy Butler.
Clippers 109 Mavericks 97: James Harden led the Clippers with 28 points. Paul George added 22. Ivica Zubac scored 20 points and pulled down 15 boards. Clippers shot 18-36 from downtown. Mavs were led by Luka Doncic with 33 points. Doncic shot 11-26 from the field. He also pulled down 13 rebounds. Clippers, who played without Kawhi Leonard lead the series 1-0.
Bucks 109 Pacers 94: Damian Lillard scored 35 points to lead the Bucks to the Game 1 victory. Khris Middleton added 25. Bobby Portis scored 23 points and pulled down 11 rebounds. Milwaukee made 14 3’s on the night. The Pacers were led by Pascal Siakam with 36 points.
Thunder 94 Pelicans 92: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way for OKC with 28 points giving the Thunder a 1-0 series lead. Jalen Williams chipped in with 19. Trey Murphy led the Pelicans with 21 points. The Pels were playing without Zion Williamson.
Home Cooking: The home team won all 8 first round games.
The Miami Heat entered Monday night’s Game 5 of the NBA Finals trailing 3-1 in the best-of-seven series against the Denver Nuggets. Their backs were against the wall. It didn’t help matters that they were on the road. Like they often do, the Heat put up a fight, Jimmy Butler came on strong late but it wasn’t enough. Denver held on and beat the Heat 94-89.
Nikola Jokic scored 28 points (12-16 FG), grabbed 16 rebounds and dished out 4 assists; after the game he was named MVP Finals MVP. In the 5 games Jokic had incredible numbers; 30.2 PPG, 14 RPG, and 7.2 APG.
“The job is done, we can go home now,” Jokic said.
Jokic became the only player in NBA history to lead the post-season in points, rebounds and assists. The guy is amazing. They try to compare him to players of the past but I’m sorry, there’s never been anyone like him.
Michael Porter scored 16 points and pulled down 13 rebounds for Denver.
After joining the NBA in 1977, Nuggets fans have waited 47 years for a championship. Nuggets head coach Michael Malone has done a tremendous job. The front office has put together a team that is interesting to watch and who play the right way. If you’re a young basketball player, Denver is a great team to watch. They play hard. Share the ball and defend.
After finishing Miami off 4-1 in the Finals, Denver’s record was 16-4 overall in the playoffs including 10-1 at home. The Nuggets won 10 out of their last 11 games.
My biggest concern is that this Nuggets team stays together. I understand the NBA is a business and players have to look out for their families and future but it would be great to watch these guys together the next few years.
Congratulations to the entire Denver Nuggets organization.
The Denver Nuggets proved last night in Game 4 of the NBA Finals that they are more than a one-man show. They have other guys that can ball.
The Nuggets took a commanding 3-1 series lead by winning once again in Miami, 108-95.
Aaron Gordon led all scorers with 27 points on 11-15 shooting from the field. He also grabbed 7 rebounds and dished out 6 assists.
Bruce Brown came off the bench and pumped in 21 points.
Nikola Jokic was in foul trouble so he finished with 23 points, 12 rebounds, 3 steals and 3 blocks. I know Denver keeps deflections on defense. I know Jokic led in that department last night. And he twisted his ankle.
Jamal Murray has 42 assists in the four games.
Miami turned the ball over too many times. After having just 4 in Game 3, they turned it over 14 times last night. They had 5 in the first 8 minutes of the game. Bam Adebayo had 7 of them.
Denver took care of the ball – 26 assists and 6 turnovers.
Jimmy Butler led the Heat with 25 points.
The D-3 narrative with Duncan Robinson is tired; look I get it, but this guy could always shoot the lights out. It’s about time someone gives Michigan’s coaching staff, playing in the Big Ten, workouts and practices for 4 years in Ann Arbor. College coaches miss out on high school and Juco guys all the time.
Denver made 14 three-pointers. Miami 8.
Gabe Vincent and Max Strus shot a combined 1-10 from the floor. 0-7 from downtown.
Game 5 is Monday night in Denver.
ABC showed a shot of Pat Riley in the stands surrounded by Alonzo Mourning, Bob McAdoo and Keith Askins. Mark Jackson said, “People don’t understand how great Bob McAdoo was.”
Oh yes we do, Action Jackson. Three years in a row over 30 PPG. Won the scoring title all 3 years.
Johnny Point Spread went with the Heat +3.5 – he’s now 2-2 in the finals.
Chris Tucker was sitting court-side with Forest Whitaker.
32 points. 21 rebounds. 10 assists leading the Nuggets to a 109-94 win in Miami. Nuggets now lead the series 2-1. Game 4 is set for Friday night.
Jokic is the first player in NBA history to put up these numbers (30+ points, 20+ rebounds, 10+ assists) in a Finals game.
Unreal.
Jamal Murray scored 34 points, pulled down 10 rebounds and had 10 assists.
Jokic and Murray are the first teammates to record triple-doubles in the same game.
“A lot of guys play with each other,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “I think those two guys play for each other and off of each other, and they read each other so well.”
Johnny Point Spread went with the Nuggets giving 3.5. He’s 2-1 in the Finals.
Christian Braun came off the bench to score 15 points on 7-8 shooting in 19 minutes. The kid plays with a lot of energy. What I love about the rookie from Kansas is his hard cuts to the goal when the ball is on the opposite side. He doesn’t stand and watch. SCREEN HARD, CUT HARD!
Malone’s pre-game speech was “Vince Lombardi” like. Very inspiring and motivating.
Miami’s crowd was upset with the officials last night. They had the tired chant of “REF YOU SUCK! REF YOU SUCK!”
Miami had just 1 turnover at the half but still trailed 53-48. They finished the game with 4.
Jimmy Butler led the Heat with 28 points.
Miami is 41-109 in the series from downtown. Denver 24-73.
Jeff Van Gundy was once again awesome last night for ABC.
Following the game ABC sideline reporter Lisa Salters asked Jokic about his numbers: “To be honest, it doesn’t mean much to me. I’m glad we got the win.”
WOW!
The Denver Nuggets play beautiful basketball. They play the right way and have good guys. Malone does an amazing job. They remind me of the San Antonio Spurs who won 5 NBA titles. I wish all the news and talk about Kyrie Irving, Chris Paul and Damian Lillard would go away. It’s boring.
Erik Spoelstra is a funny guy…”the untrained eye.” LOL
Miami Heat beat the Denver Nuggets Sunday night 111-108 to even the NBA finals at 1-1.
Gabe Vincent led the Heat in scoring with 23 points.
Why didn’t they play this game on Saturday night?
Miami was in a “foul or defend” on the last possession of the game. Elected to defend, Denver missed a 3.
Johnny Point Spread went with the Heat and the points (8.5). He’s back on track.
Kevin Love was back in the Heat starting line-up.
Max Strus made 4 3-pointers in the 1st quarter. “Shooters shoot,” he said.
Miami made 17 3’s in the game, Denver 11.
With the loss, the Nuggets are now 9-1 at home in the playoffs.
Nikola Jokic finished with 41 points on 16-28 shooting, 11 rebounds and 4 assists. The Heat made Jokic a “scorer.” LOL. Who comes up with this stuff? Why, the untrained eye of course…
There were some clowns talking basketball the day after the game who criticized Joker’s low assists total. Spoelstra and I are going to do a podcast together called, “The untrained eye.”
Each Miami Heat starter was a “plus” for the game. Each Denver Nugget starter was a “minus.”
The series moves to Miami for Game 3 Wednesday night.
The Denver Nuggets defeated the Miami Heat Thursday night in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, 104-93. Nikola Jokic led the way for Denver with 27 points, 10 rebounds and 14 assists.
Jamal Murray chipped in with 26 points and 10 assists.
I predicted before last night’s game the Nuggets will win the series in 6 games.
The line on Game 1 was 8.5, Nuggets were at home and favorite. Johnny Point Spread took the Heat and the points. He is 0-1 in the finals. Miami needed to make a 3 at the end for him to win.
The Heat had won game 1 in Milwaukee, New York and Boston. Michael Malone reminded his team of that before the game.
This finals is the first for the Nuggets in their 47 years in the NBA.
In 1982 the Nuggets scored 126.5 points per game – still the most in league history. They made 40 3-pointers on the season. John Roche led the team with 23.
The Heat were last in scoring this year at 109.5.
Jokic is the best passing big man the game has ever seen. His 14 assists last night is a record for most assists by a center in a Finals game. Bill Russell had 13.
Bam Adebayo led the Heat with 26 points.
Caleb Martin was 1-7 from the field. Max Strus was 1-10 (0-9 from 3) and Duncan Robinson was 1-6 (1-5 from 3).
Nuggets had 29 assists and 10 turnovers. Heat 26 and 8.
Miami shot just 2 free-throws on the night. In Game 7 against the Celtics they shot just 6. Game 6 they attempted 29.
Mike Breen on Jokic: “Passes like Magic. Rebounds like Moses. Shoots like Dirk.” To which Jeff Van Gundy said, “Rebounds like Moses? You wanna check yourself?”
Jokic told ESPN sideline reporter Lisa Salters after the game, “The most important thing is trying to win the game. I don’t need to shoot. I don’t need to score to affect the game.”
Incredible!
Game 2 is Sunday night.
Happy birthday Earl Boykins. He’s 47.
I’m back on Twitter and Instagram. Elon Musk put a restriction on me already; not sure what I tweeted to piss him off?
Miami went into Boston for game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals Monday night and beat the Celtics 103-84.
The Heat will now play the Denver Nuggets in the 2023 NBA Finals beginning Thursday night.
Erik Spoelstra has been the Heat head coach for 15 years; this is his 6th trip to the finals.
Jimmy Butler led the way with 28 points. He was named the MVP of the Conference finals.
Caleb Martin scored 25 points (11-16 FG) and had10 rebounds. He also made four 3-pointers giving him a total of 22 in the series, the most for any Heat player.
The TD Garden was rocking at the start but the Heat took them right out by jumping out to a 7 point lead after the first quarter and going up 11 at the half. Celtics shot 0-11 from distance in the first quarter. Boston was in trouble early when after the first offensive possession play of the game Jayson Tatum twisted his ankle. He was never the same. (5-13 FG, 14 points)
Loved Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla’s answer to the TNT sideline reporter when she asked him how much was Tatum affected by the injury? “Just gotta play through it.”
Jaylen Brown was 1-9 from distance last night going 7-43 for the series. Tatum was just as bad going 1-4 last night and 11-47 for the series. 18 for 90? Not good.
Boston shot .303 (81-267) from downtown, Miami .434 (89-295)
The boo-birds were out when Boston went down 18.
Celtics finished 5-6 at home in the playoffs.
Malcolm Brogdon summed it up this way: “This was a team last year that prided themselves on defense. Defense was their calling card. And then this year, offense was our calling card, and I don’t think you win championships with the better offense than you have defense.”
Butler had a great quote after the game. Everyone likes to toss around, “undrafted” players for Miami: Butler said, “I don’t call them role players; I call them teammates, because your role can change any given day.”
Johnny Point Spread took the Heat plus 7. He is on fire.
Looking forward to Game 1 Thursday night.
Happy birthday Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan. He’s 58.
I’m composing this journal entry in Dunkin’ Donuts on Sunday morning. The “Wake-up wrap” is amazing.
Derrick White scored on an offensive put-back off a missed 3-point shot by Marcus Smart at the buzzer to give the Celtics a 104-103 win in Game 6. The series is tied at 3. Game 7 is Monday night in Boston.
Jayson Tatum led the way for Boston with 31 points and 12 rebounds. He had 25 at the half.
Jimmy Butler, who shot 5 for 21 from the field said the Heat were going to win Game 6. They were close. Butler finished with 24 points in 46 minutes. He looks exhausted.
Butler, after the game on Game 7: “We can do it. I know that we will do it. We’ve got to go on the road and win in a very, very, very tough environment.”
Butler and Bam Adebayo were awful from the field. Combined they shot 9-37. “It’s not the effort, they have to play better,” said TNT analyst Stan Van Gundy. Bam also played 46 minutes. Cody Zeller, his back-up just 2.
Let’s get to White’s follow-up basket. What the hell was Max Strus doing on defense? White was taking the ball out on the left sideline. Strus turned his back on the ball to try and take away the pass to the top to Tatum. Instead, Smart opened up at the left elbow after back-screening. White hit Smart who launched the long jumper. Strus never jumped back to White who now had a clear path to the basket. No box out, out of position. Always stay between your man and the basket. You’re taught that in third grade.
“I mean, it don’t do no good to stand in the corner there,” White said after the game. “Whether he makes it or not, so I was just crashing the glass, and it came right to me.”
Don’t just stand there and watch a shot go up. Hit the glass.
Joe Mazzulla ran a beautiful ATO play in the 3rd quarter for an easy Celtics bucket.
How about today’s center’s who rebound on the defensive end and push the ball in transition, running the offense? Al Horford and Adebayo do it well. Hey coach, next workout or practice, allow your bigs to handle the ball.
Speaking of Big Al, what was up with that foul on Butler in the right corner with :03 left in the game? Bad play by the Grand Ledge High graduate. Boston was up 2. Hands straight up.
Freddie from News 10 texted me last night after the game: “Do you believe Al Horford IS still playing?” Yep, I believe it. The guy takes care of his body. He stays out of clubs. He’s a family man, raised the right way. Do the right thing and you can have a long career.
Charles Barkley picked the C’s to win last night. But they didn’t cover; they were -2.5…Johnny Point Spread took the night off. Rumor has it he took in a WNBA game. But he did text me after the game; “Miami sucks!”
Heat had just 5 turnovers.
Would love to hear Bob Ryan talk about this series.
Robert Williams scored 10 points in 17 minutes. He is shooting 25-32 from the field in the series. That’s .781 – the guy knows his role.
I was waiting for SVG’s fashion comments on the players. Nothing doing. There was a fan by the Celtics bench wearing high heels, a dress and red socks.
Speaking of fashion, how about Danilo Gallinari dressed in a suit and tie on Boston’s bench? Looking good my man.
SVG mentioned the Celtics may have to go “box and 1” on Caleb Martin. The Nevada alum scored 21 points and pulled down 15 rebounds.
Sam Hauser got some early burn in the 2nd quarter – Malcolm Brogdon missed the game due to injury.
Heat made 14 3’s, Celtics 7. Tatum and Jaylen Brown were a combined 0-12. Drive the ball fella’s, drive the ball. Tatum is shooting .233 from 3 in the series. Brown is .176 – Smart was 4-11 from distance. 9 of his attempts were from the left side of the floor. Smart holds the Celtics franchise record for most 3’s made in a single game with 11.
How bad is TNT play-by-play guy Kevin Harlan? I’ve said it before, he announces the game like we’re listening on radio. Wish he would stop interrupting the analysts. I’d rather hear SVG and Reggie Miller.
Miller made a defense reference, “hands back, active hands.”
Tatum leads the Celtics in scoring in the series with 27 PPG, leads in assists with 34 and rebounds with 61. And don’t foul him, he’s 43-47 from the line.
What is up with Celtics players helping Heat players up off the floor? Greg Kite would never help an opponent off the floor.
Gabe Vincent changed shoes late in the 2nd quarter. He banged a 3 first time he touched the ball.
Haywood Highsmith played D-2 ball.
Love how Smart goes into the post and dominates his defender. So old school. You need a bucket, take your man in the low-hole.
NBA All-Star weekend should add a game of “21.”
Duncan Robinson missed two big 3’s down the stretch. He was 3-6 on the night from deep.
A fan on the baseline was wearing a red, Chicago Bulls jersey. Number 23.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra on Game 7: “I don’t know how we’re gonna get this done, but we’re gonna go up there and get it done.” Coach, Rony Seikaly is not walking through those doors.
Happy birthday Jerry West. He’s 85. Did you know West was 1-8 in the NBA finals? His overall record was 22-33. Imagine if social media was a thing back in his playing days?
Miami is in trouble. I think Spoelstra’s guys have run out of gas.
The Boston Celtics, after being down 0-3 have won two games in a row. Game 6 is Saturday night in South Beach. I said it a couple of days ago, Celtics are going to make history.
Derrick White and Marcus Smart combined for 47 points to lead Boston to the 110-97 victory in game 5.
Last night Miami was 9-23 from downtown. Boston 16-39. In the last two games, the Heat are a combined 17-55. Boston 34-84.
Draymond Green said he was tired of all the “undrafted Heat players” talk. Me too Day-Day. These guys are professionals. They work hard on their game.
SAY WHAT? Scottie Pippin has lost his mind. Michael Jordan was a “horrible player?”
BORING? I don’t care how many books Chris Mannix has written or how many articles he’s published, the Denver Nuggets are a great team for the real basketball fan to watch. He said they weren’t interesting. I disagree. I can watch Nikola Jokic all day long. The Nuggets play the right way.
Stephen A.: I like how this guy talks about Kyrie Irving. SAS is one media member who does not back down from the rich, spoiled, entitled athlete.
By the way, JJ Redick making fun of SAS’s playing career was weak. You didn’t have to play at the highest level to talk about the game.
Last night I had a thought of going back on Twitter. I just couldn’t do it. I do miss the news and updates of what is going on in the sports world.
PLAY THE RIGHT WAY 