NBA Playoffs Results

vs(From the Associated Press) - The Boston Celtics have a few days off to prepare for the second round of the NBA playoffs and a matchup with LeBron James.

Dwyane Wade has all summer to recruit him.

Ray Allen scored 24 points, making five 3-pointers in the second half to help Boston beat Miami 96-86 on Tuesday night and eliminate the Heat in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series. The Celtics will play James and the Cavaliers in a seven-game Eastern Conference semifinal series that will open Saturday in Cleveland.

“I think it’s a great matchup. It’s great for basketball—such a classic series,” said Paul Pierce, who scored 21 points on Tuesday. “They’re the team to beat right now. They showed it through the course of the season the way they played. We know this is going to be a tough series, another really, really tough series.”

Wade scored 31 points, far short of the franchise postseason-record 46 he had Sunday in Miami to help the Heat stave off elimination in Game 4. Now that the Heat are done, he can become a free agent—the No. 2 prize in one of the hottest offseason markets in memory.

“I can’t predict the future,” Wade said, his mood somber but his outfit resplendent. “It’s going to be a very important summer. It’s going to be a busy summer. But right now I’ve still got to get this out of my system first. I’m a good sportsman, but I don’t take losing well.”

Rajon Rondo scored 16 points, adding 12 assists and eight rebounds as Boston opened a 21-point lead and then held on after Miami cut the deficit to 73-70 with 10:14 to play. Allen drove and drew a foul and goaltending call on Joel Anthony to make it six points, then hit a 3-pointer 90 seconds later to extend the lead to eight.

Kevin Garnett made a pair of outside shots and Pierce made one from inside to make it a 12-point game with 6 minutes left. With 1:18 remaining and Boston leading by 10, the scoreboard showed the disco-dancing “Gino” video the Celtics has been using to celebrate victories since the championship run in ’08.

“It’s never too early to play ‘Gino’ in this building,” Garnett said.

The Cavaliers beat Chicago 96-94 later Tuesday to clinch their first-round series in five games. But even before it was over, the Celtics were already thinking about James.

“We just have to come out with a defensive mindset, keep LeBron from getting on fire,” center Kendrick Perkins said in the on-court, postgame scoreboard interview while the Cavaliers and Bulls were early in the third quarter.

The Celtics hooked up with James and the Cavaliers for seven games in the conference semis in 2008 on the way to Boston’s unprecedented 17th NBA championship. But Cleveland has since surpassed Boston in the standings and earned the home-court advantage through the NBA finals.

Asked directly if the Celtics can beat Cleveland—the Cavs and Bulls were tied in the fourth quarter at the time—Celtics coach Doc Rivers said, “Well, I’ll let you know.”

The Celtics led by as many as 21 points in the third before Miami scored 16 of the next 18 points to make it 69-62. Wade scored 13 in what turned into a 24-6 run that cut the deficit to 73-70 on his three-point play with 10:14 left in the game.

Wade scored 20 in the second half in all; he also finished with 10 assists and eight rebounds. But he was just 10-for-24 shooting and 2 for 7 from 3-point range in the game. He missed all three of his 3-point tries in the fourth quarter as the Heat tried to eat away at the remainder of the Celtics’ big lead.

Wade, who averaged 33.2 points in the series, can now join James on the free agent market, with the possibility that the two could wind up together in Miami next year or another team that would be an instant title contender.

“This will be my last first-round exit for a while, I can tell you that,” Wade said. “I’m looking forward to continuing to build, and being with some great players next year, continuing to beef up our roster.

“I think I put myself in a great situation three years ago, to sign this deal, to make sure my team stayed competitive. We’ve got some work to do, the front office has (work) to do. You just have to see things being done, being accomplished. If we see that,” he told a Miami-area reporter, “we’ll be talking again.”

It was the second straight night a Boston team clinched a playoff series at the TD Garden. On Monday, the Bruins beat the Buffalo Sabres in Game 6 to advance to the NHL’s Eastern Conference semifinals and a matchup with either the Montreal Canadiens or Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Celtics made four 3-pointers in the first 4:37 of the third quarter and took a 67-46 lead with 7 minutes left. But Mario Chalmers hit back-to-back 3 pointers and Wade followed soon after with a pair of free throws and a pair of 3-pointers to make it 69-62 with 2:18 left in the third.

Miami cut it to three before Allen drove and drew a foul and goaltending call on Joel Anthony.

vs(From the Associated Press) - LeBron James pulled his right arm tightly to his chest, unable to do anything but grimace as the final seconds expired on Cleveland’s series-clinching win.

The Bulls were finally out of the way.

But for the Cavaliers, moving on in the NBA playoffs wasn’t pain free.

James, playing despite an injured right elbow that went numb and forced him to shoot a free throw left-handed in the closing seconds, just missed a triple-double as the Cavs advanced to a playoff date with Boston by beating Chicago 96-94 in Game 5 on Tuesday night in perhaps Vinny Del Negro’s final game as Bulls coach.

James scored 19 points—16 in the second half—and added 10 rebounds and nine assists as the Cavs finally saddled the stubborn Bulls to win the series 4-1. After making one free throw, James then hoisted and missed the second with his left with 7.8 seconds left and the Cavs only ahead by four.

James doesn’t know when he injured the elbow, which he said bothered him the entire second half. He revealed after the game that he underwent an MRI and X-rays two days ago.

“It bothers me because I don’t know what it is,” James said. “Hopefully it doesn’t continue to bother me. But I’m not concerned. Cleveland fans have nothing to worry about. They have no reason to panic. I don’t think it’s that serious.”

Antawn Jamison scored 25 points and Shaquille O’Neal 14 for Cleveland, which will face Boston, reuniting teams that don’t like each other and who played a testy seven-game series in 2008.

Game 1 is Saturday.

“A lot of people are saying they’re too old, but we know they’re going to come out and give us their best shot,” said Jamison, who was not with the Cavs the last time Cleveland met Boston in the postseason. “It’s going to be a hard-fought series. It should be fun.”

Derrick Rose scored 31 points and Luol Deng 26 for Chicago, which had several shots roll in and out in the final minutes.

Given little chance against the league’s top team during the regular season, the Bulls gave the top-seeded Cavaliers all they could handle.

Delonte West had 16 points and O’Neal racked up fouls during the second half against Chicago’s big men.

The Cavs were intent on closing out the series at home but they couldn’t shake the Bulls, who were trying to send the series back to Chicago for Game 6.

When Jamison buried a 3-pointer with 3:30 left, Cleveland was up 93-84, and for the first time all night Cavaliers fans finally started thinking about a matchup with the Celtics, who eliminated Miami earlier.

The Bulls, though, had other plans.

Deng hit a jumper and two free throws before Rose, who made Cleveland defenders look silly all series, made four straight from the line to pull the Bulls within 93-92 with 1:32 remaining. Two free throws by James then gave Cleveland a three-point lead with 1:11 left.

Rose then tried a short shot in the lane that went halfway down before spinning out.

Cleveland’s Mo Williams, who shot a dismal 2 for 13, then missed a baseline runner but the ball went out of bounds off Chicago’s Joakim Noah. The Bulls did get the ball back on a steal, but Rose forced up an awkward left-handed layup over Anderson Varejao that was short.

James grabbed the rebound and was fouled. He made his first attempt to make it 96-92, but with his elbow causing him pain, he tried his second shot left-handed and it was way off the mark.

“I knew we were up four,” James said. “I would have shot it right-handed if I had to make it. I’ve never had problem with my elbow before.”

Down four, the Bulls got a layin by Deng just before the buzzer.

James, who wore a sleeve on his right arm for the second straight game, refused to address his injury before the game.

“I don’t know what is up with it, but I’m ready to play,” he said.

So were the Bulls, who fought until the end to prolong their season—and for Del Negro.

Chicago, which had to win down the stretch to earn the No. 8 seed, entered the playoffs amid controversy surrounding its coach. Del Negro reportedly got into a physical confrontation with vice president of basketball operations John Paxson last month, an incident the team downplayed but could have long-term effects.

“I don’t even think about that stuff,” Del Negro said when asked if he thought he had coached his final game. “I enjoy the experience, I enjoy the competitiveness. It’s about the players to me. I’m proud of the guys, I’m proud of the way they stuck together. They played hard and played through adversity.

“I can’t worry about that. I don’t worry about it. I know how hard my staff has worked and what we’ve done here the last two years. How anyone wants to judge that will judge it and we’ll move on. I’ve been too fortunate in my career and my life to worry about those things. Those decisions will be made now moving forward.”

Rose said he would hate to see his coach fired.

“We both came in as rookies. It would be devastating,” Rose said. “But it’s not up to me, it’s up to the front office. They’re the ones that drafted me, so I guess I’m behind them.”

Rose said it would be hard to imagine the Bulls firing their coach after making the playoffs.

“It would be unusual, especially since it’s our second time (in the playoffs),” Rose said. “But the league changes constantly. I guess that’s how it is in the NBA. It’s tough to coach up here.”

Cleveland’s plan in the fourth quarter was to force the ball inside to O’Neal and let the Big Diesel power his way to the basket.

O’Neal drew two fouls in a five-second span on Chicago’s Brad Miller, who was doing all he could to keep the 325-pounder out of the lane. Del Negro and the Bulls assistants protested the second foul and Miller had to be grabbed by his teammates before he got called for a technical.

One minute later, O’Neal got Noah to reach in and commit his fourth foul. The Cavs immediately went into O’Neal again, and this time he spun on Noah and dunked on the Bulls’ outspoken center, sending the nervous, sellout crowd into a momentary frenzy.

NBA Playoffs Results

vs(From the Associated Press) - Dwyane Wade watched the 3-pointer drop perfectly through the net, then turned upcourt and extended the fingers on his right hand.

And he screamed.

“In kid-friendly terms,” Wade would say later, “I was telling him he was hot.”

That hand—that player—had never been hotter in a postseason game, either. And that’s why Miami’s season isn’t over.

Playing what might have been his final game in Miami, Wade scored 46 points, 30 in the second half—both franchise records—and the Heat beat the Boston Celtics 101-92 on Sunday in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference first-round series. He made 16-of-24 shots, 5 of 7 from 3-point range, and outscored the Celtics 19-15 in the fourth quarter.

“Phenomenal,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers said.

“Greatness,” offered Heat coach Erik Spoelstra.

Heat forward Quentin Richardson went even further, likening his teammate to a superhero.

“Sometimes, you know, he puts on the cape, man,” Richardson said. “There’s not a lot of things you can do when he’s playing that way.”

Boston would concur.

The Celtics still lead the best-of-seven 3-1, and get a chance to close it out in Boston on Tuesday night. But their worst fear came true Sunday.

Miami has hope.

“They did what they were supposed to do, which is defend the home court,” Celtics forward Kevin Garnett said. “And now we’re thinking the same thing going back home.”

Richardson scored 20 points and Michael Beasley added 15 for the Heat, who wasted an 18-point, first-half lead before digging deep to extend the season.

Rajon Rondo led the Celtics with 23 points. Garnett had 18 points and 12 rebounds, Paul Pierce scored 16 and Ray Allen added 15 for Boston, which was bidding for its first 4-0 sweep of a series since 1986.

“It’s not a big deal,” Rondo said. “We just have to close it out now in five. We’re confident.”

So is Miami.

Especially Wade.

Leg cramps kept him off the court for the deciding moment of Game 3, the jumper that Pierce hit at the buzzer to give the Celtics a 100-98 win. So he spent Saturday getting his body right, chugging fluids, jumping into the cold tank, hanging out in the pool with his mother Jolinda, visiting from Chicago.

On Sunday, it showed, never more than down the stretch.

He shot 5 for 6 in the fourth quarter and made all four 3-pointers, all coming in a 5-minute stretch and the last putting Miami up 93-82 with 6:12 remaining.

“I just thought, time to be aggressive,” Wade said. “Very aggressive. So I was shooting all those shots, no matter what was going to happen. And I started to make a couple, so I got hot at the right time. Just wanted to will my team to this victory.”

Of course, it’s never easy for Miami against Boston.

The Celtics were 6-0 against Miami this season, and had won 14 of the last 15 between the clubs since April 2007. And yes, Boston made a big run, getting within 96-92 on a free throw by Allen with 2:36 left.

Then a funny thing happened.

Or, more precisely, three funny things.

Not only did Allen—a 91 percent foul shooter this season—miss the second, he missed two more with 1:50 left, keeping it a two-possession game. And when Dorell Wright missed a jumper with 1:29 left, Beasley swooped in, got the rebound and scored, making it 98-92.

Exhale, Miami. The season will go until at least Tuesday.

Wade will opt to become a free agent after the season, and on the slim chance that this was his final home game in Miami, it was nothing short of scintillating.

“He just put it all on his shoulders,” Pierce said. “And did a good job of it.”

Trailing by six entering the final quarter and needing a rally to keep the season alive, Miami opened the fourth on a 25-8 run, fueled mostly by Wade. He hit a pair of 3-pointers about a minute apart, stopping after the second one to scream at his right hand, giving Miami an 85-80 lead.

“When his back is against the wall,” Spoelstra said, “it’s an utter defiance.”

Miami played that way pretty much all day.

Garnett scored the opening basket, only to have Miami reel off the next 12 points. Richardson made his first four shots, three of them from 3-point range, staking Miami to a 15-5 lead.

Wade scored 14 in the first, Richardson ended up with 13, and the Heat seemed well on their way, up 31-14 late in the opening quarter.

That duo combined for two in the second quarter, though, and Boston began chipping away.

Thanks in large part to Glen Davis tripping over his own feet and tumbling to the court in a green heap, Beasley had an alley-oop dunk with 8 minutes left until halftime, putting Miami up 42-24.

The rest of the half was all Boston, which quickly turned the arena mood from celebratory to concerned. The Celtics outscored Miami 19-7 to close the second quarter, with the Heat making six turnovers and missing eight of their next nine shots after the Beasley dunk, and the lead was down to only 49-43 at the break.

“They played how they were supposed to play,” Allen said.

In the third, Wade did the spectacular. Boston did the steady, which worked better.

Wade drove past Allen down the middle of the lane, dunked over the outstretched arm of Garnett and walked into the second row of seats, tying the game at 64 as the crowd roared.

But Garnett, Pierce, Allen and Rondo all had big baskets late in the third, and the Celtics took a 77-71 edge into the final 12 minutes.

But the fourth, thanks to Wade, was all Miami.

“I’m a rhythm player,” Wade said. “And once I get in that rhythm, I think I can make any shot.”

Each Heat player had a sheet of paper at his locker when he arrived Sunday, the words “Easy vs. Hard” typed across the top.

“Making everyone go to Boston,” the sheet said, “is hard.”

And it was.

Getting the Celtics to fly back to Miami will be even tougher.

vs(From the Associated Press) - LeBron James insisted there was nothing unusual about the shot, that he’s perfectly comfortable taking it.

Never mind that he unleashed it from nearly halfcourt.

James’ jumper—from a spot that requires a heave for many players—was just part of the show on a day when he delivered his fifth career postseason triple-double with 37 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists. That led the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 121-98 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Sunday and a 3-1 lead in their first-round series.

“I’ve done some great things in the past, I’ll do some great things in the future,” he said. “But we’re in the present now, and I’m feeling pretty good.”

The Cavaliers led by 10 at halftime after scoring 38 in the second quarter and broke it open with a 37-point third, putting them in position to close it out at home on Tuesday.

James was at it again after scoring 40 and 39 the previous two games, connecting whenever he wanted and from wherever he wanted. He was 6 of 9 on 3-pointers, including a jumper from just inside midcourt at the end of the third that made it 99-76.

“I can comfortably shoot that shot,” James said. “It was a regular jump shot for me. Comfortably, I can walk and dribble into a halfcourt 3.”

James certainly made it look easy against the Bulls.

“He was extremely active all over the place,” coach Mike Brown said. “He really set the tone defensively. He was terrific for us on the weakside. He was great for us on the ball, and he talked defense the whole game.”

He had plenty of help from Antawn Jamison, who scored 12 of his 24 in the third quarter, not to mention Mo Williams (19 points).

Chicago got 21 apiece from Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah, who also pulled down 20 rebounds, but the Bulls settled for jump shots once they fell behind. Now, they are on the verge of their second straight first-round exit after a thorough beating by the Eastern Conference’s top seed.

“I just think we weren’t very tough mentally today,” Noah said. “We were playing good ball and then just collapsed. We’re a young team and have to learn from this.”

The Cavaliers were simply locked in after a two-point loss in Game 3. They shot 53 percent and outscored Chicago 40-34 in the paint after being dominated there 94-70 the previous two games.

The Bulls were leading 43-40 after Luol Deng hit a 17-footer with just over five minutes left in the half. Then, Cleveland took over.

“When we had the lead, we should have run some more effective plays, run some pick-and-rolls and attacked the basket,” Rose said. “And even if you couldn’t make the shot, you could dump it off to a big and maybe they could get to the line.”

James scored nine as the Cavaliers ended the half on a 22-9 run, hitting a 3-pointer that put Cleveland ahead 47-45 with 3:36 left, and they continued to build on it.

James nailed a 22-foot fadeaway from up top just before the halftime buzzer, right after a short bank shot by Rose, to make it 62-52. Cleveland quickly put it away after returning from the locker room, scoring the first seven of the third, with James’ floater making it 69-52. But it was his shot at the end of the quarter that left everyone else in awe.

“Seeing him do that is always fun to watch,” Williams said. “It takes a lot out of a team. We’re already up 20 and he’s hitting shots like that. You just sit back like an opponent and wonder what can we do.”

If the Bulls are demoralized, they weren’t about to let on.

“I know that we have to play another game,” Rose said. “My confidence level is high and my team will follow me.”

NBA Playoffs Results

vs(From the Associated Press) - Derrick Rose(notes) heard the “MVP! MVP!” chants and thought he would faint, the loud chorus rattling the All-Star point guard.

Funny thing, though.

Being guarded by LeBron James(notes) late in the game didn’t faze him. And now, the Cleveland Cavaliers can forget about sweeping the Bulls out of the playoffs.

Rose scored 31 points, Kirk Hinrich(notes) added 27 and Chicago hung to beat the top-seeded Cavaliers 108-106 Thursday night in Game 3 of a first-round series after its 21-point lead dwindled to one.

“We stayed strong,” said Chicago’s Joakim Noah(notes), who fought through foul trouble to finish with 15 rebounds. “D-Rose played huge for us. It just feels really good to come out with a win right now.”

James scored 13 of his 39 points in the fourth quarter but also committed some turnovers down the stretch. Even so, the Cavaliers were within 107-106 after Mo Williams(notes) nailed a 3-pointer with 3.8 seconds left. They immediately fouled Luol Deng(notes), who hit the first free throw but missed the second.

Cleveland’s Anthony Parker(notes) got the rebound and raced up the right side but missed a 3 at the buzzer, and the Bulls escaped with the win despite some shaky foul shooting late in the game.

They will try to tie the best-of-seven series on Sunday.

Hinrich, a career 80.9 percent foul shooter, missed two with 26 seconds left and the Bulls up 104-99.

James then buried a 3-pointer with 11 seconds remaining to make it a two-point game. The Cavaliers immediately fouled Rose, who missed the first free throw before converting the second to make it 105-102 with 10.1 seconds left.

Chicago fouled Anderson Varejao(notes) to prevent a 3-point attempt, and he made the first but missed the second. Brad Miller(notes) got the rebound and converted both foul shots to make it a four-point game, and the Bulls hung on for a wild win.

“They kept us on our heels and we can ill afford to let that happen,” said Antawn Jamison(notes), who scored 19.

Rose was serenaded by that “MVP!” chant late in the third quarter and was guarded down the stretch by the player who figures to win the award. That didn’t shake him, but the chorus did, though.

“I almost passed out,” Rose said. “Hopefully one day, but I’m just worried about winning games right now.”

So is James, who said he made the call to take Rose down the stretch.

The Bulls appeared to be in good shape up 21 in the third, only to see the Cavaliers cut it all the way to 94-92 on a pair of free throws and a layup by Jamison with 4:10 remaining in the game.

Deng, who scored 20, then made a jumper and Noah stole a pass from James. That led to a jumper by Rose, who then buried a fadeaway as the crowd chanted “Let’s go Bulls!” to make it 100-92 with 2:42 remaining.

James charged into Deng with 1:18 remaining and the Bulls up by six, then got stripped by Noah. Deng picked up the loose ball and Hinrich hit two free throws to make it 104-96 with 38 seconds remaining.

About that charge, James didn’t agree with the call.

“I saw him backpedaling,” James said. “Me as a driver, I’m watching the defender’s feet. I’m seeing if he’s stationed or is still moving. To me, I felt like he was still backpedaling, and as soon as I saw him backpedaling, that’s when I decided to take off. They called a charge. I haven’t seen the replay, but I know exactly what I’ve seen on the court with the defender right in front of me.”

Noah said he was particularly concerned Deng would get whistled after seeing James’ shot go in.

“I think one of the refs was about to call a block and then he looked at the other ref because he wasn’t sure, and the other ref—thank God—called a charge,” Noah said. “That was a huge play for us. I’m really happy that play went our way. I think I’m kind of biased, but to me, I thought it was a charge the whole time.”

As for his five fouls?

“Stupid, stupid fouls,” said Noah, who collected several going for offensive rebounds.

Still, at times the Bulls looked as if they might run away with this one.

They were leading 39-23 early in the second after a three-point play by Deng, and they finished the half with a flourish after Cleveland pulled within seven.

Miller hit a 19-footer with a minute left and Hinrich nailed 20-footer from the wing to make it 56-45 before Noah blocked a driving layup by James in the closing seconds. The Bulls continued to pour it on in the third.

Taj Gibson(notes) started it with a jumper and capped the run with another one, making it 68-47 with 7:37 left in the third, before the Cavaliers scored 13 straight.

“I believe we’re going to be fine,” Varejao said. “We just have to play the way we did in the second half.”

vs(From the Associated Press) - Scuffling through a rough shooting night, Kevin Durant(notes) wanted to do anything he could to keep the Oklahoma City Thunder from falling hopelessly behind the Los Angeles Lakers.

So, why not take on the task of defending Kobe Bryant(notes)?

Durant had 29 points and 19 rebounds, and snapped out of a shooting funk while guarding Bryant to lead the decisive run, lifting the Thunder to a 101-96 victory in Game 3 on Thursday night in the first playoff game in Oklahoma City.

“Scoring’s a big part of my game. It kind of overshadows the other parts of my game,” said Durant, who at 21 became the youngest player to lead the NBA in scoring. “But if I continue to play hard on both ends, it’s going to come around for me. I was able to get free and make a couple shots, and that’s what got us going.”

Durant and Russell Westbrook(notes) scored 22 of the final 23 for the Thunder, including every point during a 10-2 surge that put Oklahoma City ahead to stay.

The top-seeded Lakers got back within 98-96 on Bryant’s driving layup with 13.5 seconds left, but the Thunder closed it out from the foul line to pull within 2-1 in the seven-game series.

Game 4 is Saturday night in Oklahoma City.

Durant celebrated by thumping his chest and popping his jersey to show off the “Thunder” printed on the front while Westbrook, who scored 27 points, flapped his arms to egg on the screaming crowd.

“It feels good. Playing against the reigning champs makes it even better. But we have a long ways to go,” said Durant, who missed his first seven shots and 15 of his first 19. “It does feel good to get our first win. It feels even better to bring the first win in the playoffs here to Oklahoma City. That’s what I’m most excited about.”

Bryant scored 24 points to surpass Jerry West’s franchise record for playoff scoring, and Pau Gasol(notes) had 17 points and 15 rebounds for Los Angeles.

But when it came down to crunch time, Bryant couldn’t deliver as he did in scoring 15 fourth-quarter points to seal the Lakers’ 95-92 victory in Game 2. He went 2 for 10 in the final 12 minutes, with Durant stopping between free throws at one point to motion to the bench that he wanted to guard the former MVP.

“It was a matchup that caught me by surprise,” said Bryant, who’s nearly half a foot shorter than Durant. “I think he did a great job.”

Undaunted by a raucous sellout crowd, the Lakers scored the first 10 points of the game and were in control until the Thunder roared back with an electrifying run of eight straight points late in the third quarter.

The fans reached a deafening pitch as the Thunder completed their charge back from an 11-point deficit set off by Westbrook’s right-handed tomahawk dunk. James Harden(notes) and Durant followed with back-to-back 3-pointers to tie it at 74, and Oklahoma City finally took its first lead of the game on its opening possession of the fourth quarter.

“That was the loudest I’ve ever heard a crowd get,” said Harden, a rookie reserve who scored 18 points after going scoreless in Games 1 and 2. “That Russell dunk was just amazing and the back-to-back 3s, it just rattled the place.”

Nick Collison(notes), the only player left from the franchise’s last playoff appearance five years ago in Seattle, said, “It was so loud, it was almost quiet. It’s a weird feeling.”

Andrew Bynum(notes) pulled Los Angeles even for the final time by powering through Collison’s hard foul for a right-handed dunk, then hitting the ensuing free throw to tie it at 80.

Durant answered at the other end with a jumper from the right side with 8:41 left to give Oklahoma City the lead for good, then converted Bryant’s turnover into a two-handed jam on a fast break.

His 19-foot jumper from the right wing put Oklahoma City up 90-82 with 4:28 remaining, and that lead was just big enough for the Thunder to hang on down the stretch.

“We just fell asleep. We probably thought we had it in the bag,” said Ron Artest(notes), charged with defending Durant most of the game. “In this game, especially, you’ve got to respect the possessions. … You really can’t take it for granted.”

Fans wearing free blue “Rise Together” T-shirts were standing even 15 minutes before the game to chant “Beat L.A.!” and rose to their feet again when the Thunder brought out a new pregame video that showed key moments from Oklahoma City’s time in the NBA.

It was billed as the biggest sports day in the city’s history, with three Oklahoma players taken among the top four picks in the NFL draft on the same night as the first home playoff game for the Thunder or the New Orleans Hornets — who were displaced to the Ford Center for two seasons following Hurricane Katrina.

And it came on the 121st anniversary of the date the state, which was formerly American Indian territory, was first settled in a land run.

All that didn’t seem to bother the defending NBA champions.

They kept the fans standing—and waiting for the Thunder’s first basket— until coach Scott Brooks burned a timeout 2:34 into the game with his team already down 10-0. Los Angeles made its first seven shots, taking advantage of three early Thunder turnovers and the 7-foot Bynum’s size advantage inside with a series of lobs.

“I was actually disappointed in the crowd because all year long I thought they were the best crowd. They just gave us so much energy and were so loud throughout the year,” Brooks said. “But now, I realize they were sandbagging.”

vs(From the Associated Press) - —Jason Richardson(notes) kept finding himself alone behind the 3-point line, so he obliged.

Richardson made eight 3-pointers and finished with playoff career-high 42 points Thursday night in the Suns’ 108-89 victory over the Trail Blazers, which gave Phoenix a 2-1 lead in the first-round playoff series.
PORTLAND, OR - APRIL 22: Martell Webster(notes) #23 of the Portland Trail Blazers takes a shot against Amar'e Stoudemire(notes) #1 of the Phoenix Suns in Game Three of the Western Conference Quarterfinals during the 2010 NBA Playoffs on April 22, 2010 at the Rose Garden Arena in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2010 NBAE (Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images)
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* 1 of 41
* Pho-Por Gallery

Series at a Glance
Portland vs. Phoenix
Suns lead series 2-1

1. Game 1: at PHO

POR 105, PHO 100 - Final
Recap | Box Score
2. Game 2: at PHO

POR 90, PHO 119 - Final
Recap | Box Score
3. Game 3: at POR

PHO 108, POR 89 - Final
Recap | Box Score
4. Game 4: at POR

Sat, Apr 24 - 4:30 pm EDT

TV: TNT, My45
5. Game 5: at PHO

Mon, Apr 26 - 10:30 pm EDT

TV: TNT, FSAZ
6. Game 6: at POR

Thu, Apr 29 - TBA

TV: My45
7. Game 7: at PHO

Sat, May 01 - TBA

TV: TNT, FSAZ

Series Breakdown

“I was surprised they kept leaving me,” Richardson said.

Richardson hit his first three late in the first half as the Suns built a lead that would extend to 31 points. He made 13-of-19 shots from the floor.

The secret to Richardson’s success? Portland was occupied with Amare Stoudemire and Steve Nash(notes).

“They’ve done a good job of taking Amare’s game away on the rolls, but in order to do that you have to have an extra defender in and we’ve done a good job of swinging the ball and finding Jason,” Suns coach Alvin Gentry said. “Obviously he’s in a good groove shooting the ball right now.”

Portland mounted a rally in the fourth quarter, closing within 91-80 after Rudy Fernandez(notes) hit three consecutive 3-pointers. But the burst came too late for the Blazers, who suffered a setback when starting forward Nicolas Batum(notes) aggravated a shoulder injury in the first half and did not return.

Phoenix dropped the opening game of the series 105-100 at home but rebounded with a 119-90 victory on Tuesday night. Game 4 is Saturday at Portland.

Home-court advantage meant little for the Blazers. The red-clad Rose Garden fans even booed their team as the players left the court with a 66-37 deficit at the break.

LaMarcus Aldridge(notes) led the Blazers with 17 points. Andre Miller(notes), who scored 31 in Portland’s Game 1 win, was off for the second straight game and finished with just 11. And the home team was dismal from the free throw line, making just 16-of-28 attempts.

Stoudemire had 20 points for the Suns, while Nash finished with 13 points and 10 assists. Richardson ended up the beneficiary.

“I think that is my best game as a pro,” Richardson said. “Nine years in the league, only been to the playoffs twice, so it’s been seven summers at home. Right now I don’t take anything for granted.”

The Suns jumped on Portland early, quickly quieting the sellout crowd. Nash’s left-handed layup midway through the first quarter put Phoenix in front 16-6.

The Blazers were conservative, hampered by early fouls on both Fernandez and Aldridge. It didn’t help when Jerryd Bayless(notes) was hit with a technical, and coach Nate McMillan had to signal his team to calm down.

Richardson hit a 3-pointer and Leandro Barbosa(notes) made a layup to close out the first period with a 34-16 Suns lead.

“Once I hit the first 3, it felt like it opened up the basket for me,” Richardson said.

Richardson, who had 29 points in the Suns’ Game 2 victory, had 21 in the first half alone while the Blazers unsuccessfully used second-year guard Bayless to defend him.

Batum was questionable before the game after hurting his shoulder in the second half of Game 2 when he collided with Nash. But he started—and answered any questions about his shoulder with an early two-handed dunk.

But late in the first half, Batum was fouled under the Blazers basket and appeared to re-injure himself. He quickly retreated to the locker room.

The injury was of concern because Batum, the team’s primary perimeter defender, had surgery on the shoulder just before the opener and missed the first 45 games of the season.

The Blazers are already thin because of injuries. All-Star guard Brandon Roy(notes) tore the meniscus in his right knee and had arthroscopic surgery two days before the playoffs got under way.

“We have lost Nick now. We have to keep going through it,” Aldridge said. “This is our season—we take a step forward, and we take a step back.”

Portland mustered some energy in the second half, closing to 82-67 on Bayless’ 20-foot jumper early in the fourth quarter before Fernandez went on his 3-point flurry.

“Tonight we just seemed tight,” Blazers coach Nate McMillan said. “The first half, we seemed to be a little tight, maybe put some pressure on ourselves. The second half, we won that. We started to play basketball. We started to fight and won both of those quarters. Somehow we have to get that fight, that scrappiness, in the first half.”

Batum’s injury was yet another in a string that have afflicted the Blazers all season. Centers Greg Oden(notes) and Joel Przybilla(notes) needed season-ending knee surgeries and Fernandez had midseason back troubles. Former forward Travis Outlaw(notes), who was traded to the Clippers, sat out for a time with a foot injury.

Roy missed more that a dozen games with a sore hamstring earlier this year before the slight meniscus tear was discovered.

In all, 13 Blazers missed a combined 311 regular-season games, second only to the Warriors this season. Only Miller and forward Martell Webster(notes) played in all 82 games.

NBA Playoffs Results

vs(From the Associated Press) - Joakim Noah had to go back for one more look.

Walking slowly across the confetti-littered court, Noah stopped at the spot just outside the arc where LeBron James had pulled up in his face and made a 3-pointer.

“That’s a long way,” Noah said, shaking his head in disbelief as he looked at the distant rim. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

The Chicago Bulls kept daring James to shoot jumpers.

He obliged.

“They were telling me I can’t make jump shots,” James said. “They asked me to shoot a jumper so I did that. Over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again.”

James scored 40 points—15 in a tour-de-force fourth quarter—as the Cavaliers, fueled by a rabid home crowd that booed every move by Noah, maintained home-court advantage by beating the Bulls 112-102 on Monday night to take a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

James added eight rebounds and eight assists for the Cavs, who led 96-93 with 4:30 left before the league’s soon-to-be-two-time MVP took over. He hit his 3 with the 6-foot-11 Noah coming at him and followed with a quick dance move and wink directed at Chicago’s talkative bench.

James then made two free throws, a layup and two jumpers, scoring 11 straight points as Cleveland opened a 107-98 lead with 1:36 left.

When James came off the bench in the fourth, teammate J.J. Hickson touched his fingers to his forearm the same way a baseball manager would to summon a closer from the bullpen.

In came basketball’s version of Mariano Rivera.

“They call me the closer every time I come in in the fourth quarter,” James said. “It’s my time to put the game away or do what I do best and that’s try to close the game the right way.”

Noah, who drew the ire of Cleveland fans by criticizing the city’s lack of downtown activity, had 25 points and 13 rebounds.

Afterward, the most brazen of the Bulls, said he had no regrets about his comments.

“Not at all,” Noah said. “You like it? You think Cleveland’s cool? I never heard anybody say I’m going to Cleveland on vacation. What’s so good about Cleveland?”

Derrick Rose added 23 points and Luol Deng had 20 for the Bulls, who will head home for Game 3 on Thursday night.

Noah didn’t make much of the incessant booing. He’s heard it before.

“My whole life I’ve been booed,” Noah said. “College I was booed a lot. Boston they don’t like me over there. They don’t like me here, either. It’s OK. I have my friends.”

Antawn Jamison scored 14 points and Jamario Moon made four 3-pointers for Cleveland, which looked much more out of sync than in Game 1. Shaquille O’Neal, a force at both ends in the opener, scored eight points and played only 15 minutes—zero in the fourth quarter.

James spent the first 3:26 of the fourth on the bench getting rest. When he returned to the court, the Cavs were clinging to an 85-82 lead over the Bulls, who were giving top-seeded Cleveland all it could handle and were intent on evening the best-of-seven series.

With the Cavs up three, James pulled up on Noah, who had criticized Cleveland’s superstar for dancing on the court in a game earlier this season. James, though, gave a little shoulder shake after his basket and then ended his personal scoring outburst with a jumper over Kirk Hinrich just before the 24-second clock expired.

“LeBron’s hitting unbelievable shots,” Noah said. “Yes, it’s tough. But we’ve got to play them again, so I don’t want to be up here and give LeBron all this credit. Yeah, he played an unbelievable game. It’s tough right now. I hate to lose, so I’m a little frustrated by that. But we’ll be ready to go come Thursday.”

The Bulls, who pushed Boston to seven games in the opening round last season, did a much better job rebounding and were more physical than in Game 1.

But Chicago had no answer for James. No one does.

He delivered one of those did-he-really-do-that dunks in the first quarter, a soaring slam over Chicago’s James Johnson that could be one of the best—and most ferocious—of his career.

Staring from the left side, James drove to his right past Johnson down the foul line, reached back like a baseball pitcher looking for more velocity on his fastball and powered his jam over a stunned Johnson as Cleveland’s sellout crowd gasped and then erupted.

“It definitely ranks up there,” James said. “It’s one of the best ones.”

The dunk shook the backboard, not the Bulls.

They trailed by 10 points early in the second quarter, but worked their way back with extra effort, especially on the offensive glass.

Noah grabbed four of Chicago’s eight offensive rebounds in the first half, resulting in 13 second-chance points. Anthony Parker’s 3-pointer put the Cavs up 50-44, but with O’Neal on the bench after picking up his third personal, Noah scored six straight points as the Bulls pulled within 52-50 at halftime.

vs(From the Associated Press) - With Utah running out of big bodies, Deron Williams carried an even bigger load.

Williams had 33 points and 14 assists while chalking up nearly 45 minutes to lead the Jazz to a 114-111 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Monday night in Game 2 of their Western Conference first-round series.

“He took over from the beginning of the game, which is huge for us,” said Carlos Boozer, who added 20 points and 15 rebounds as the injury-riddled Jazz tied the series before it shifts to Salt Lake City for Game 3 on Friday night.

“D-Will and Booze, they had their way,” said Nuggets point guard Chauncey Billups, whose 3-point attempt from the top of the key in the closing seconds hit off the back iron.

Williams and Kyle Korver made two free throws each in the final 11 seconds to hold off the Nuggets, who had overcome a 14-point third-quarter deficit to take a 102-98 lead with 4 1/2 minutes left.

Utah was playing without two of its most experienced playoff performers in forward Andrei Kirilenko (calf), who is out for this series, and center Mehmet Okur, who tore his left Achilles’ tendon in Game 1 and is done for the playoffs.

“We can’t just give up on the season just because we don’t have those guys out here,” Williams said.

Kyryo Fesenko played admirably on Nene, and Carmelo Anthony was flustered despite scoring 32 points just 48 hours after his playoff-best 42-point performance in the opener.

Anthony made 14 of 15 free throws but was just 9 of 25 from the field and was whistled for four offensive fouls. He fouled out of a playoff game for the first time in his career.

Denver is 1-11 all-time when Anthony fouls out and he was whistled for his sixth foul with 25 seconds left and the Nuggets down by a point.

“Him not being in there the last 25 seconds was huge for us,” Boozer said.

The officials blew the call, however. C.J. Miles stepped out of bounds before Anthony fouled him, but the crew didn’t see it and Miles made both free throws for a 110-107 lead.

“I knew I was close but it was only because he was hitting me,” Miles insisted. “He was trying to get the ball.”

Each of Denver’s other four starters finished with five fouls, and the Nuggets had 37 altogether.

“That’s just part of the game,” Nuggets acting coach Adrian Dantley said. “They went to the rim. Williams got 18 free throws, that’s part of the game. You have to adjust to the referees if they’re going to make close calls.”

“We had some bad calls down the stretch but you have to figure out a way to fight through that, play through that,” Nuggets center Johan Petro said. “We missed some easy shots, some lay-ups and we kind of felt it at the end. But we know what we have to do. We’ll get one over there. It’s playoff basketball.”

Anthony didn’t have the open looks he did in Game 1, when he shot over his defenders. This time, Wesley Matthews and Miles were up in his face every time he took a step toward the basket.

“I think we tried to get to him a little bit earlier,” Utah coach Jerry Sloan said. “In the game before we let everybody go where they wanted to go. Sometimes you get tired of taking a butt kicking. You have to step up and fight back a little.”

Trailing by 12 points at halftime, the Nuggets floundered through the first 7 minutes of the second half, falling behind 76-62 on Boozer’s putback dunk before using a 14-0 run to tie it.

Williams ended a 5-minute scoring drought for Utah with two free throws, and the Jazz recovered to take an 88-82 lead into the fourth quarter thanks to Korver’s three jumpers in the final 90 seconds.

The Jazz shot 68 percent in the first half and took a 63-51 lead after closing the half on a 17-3 run that had Denver’s fans booing them through the tunnel almost as much as they jeered the officiating crew moments later.

Boozer had four baskets in the run, and Matthews swished a wide-open 3-pointer from the left corner as the crowd sat in stunned silence as the Jazz manhandled the Nuggets on both ends.

Fesenko, who packs 300 pounds on his 7-foot-1 frame, clogged the middle for the Jazz and kept Utah from having to use Boozer and Paul Millsap the whole game.

After Anthony’s big performance in the opener, the Jazz talked about being more physical with him in Game 2, although Dantley was skeptical they could do that effectively with young players Matthews and Miles: “They’re not Kirilenko. They’re not Matt Harpring,” Dantley noted before tip-off.

On this night, they were equally effective.

NBA Playoffs Results

vs(From the Associated Press) - They’ve got more depth. They’ve got more size. They’ve got Shaq. And, of course, they’ve still got LeBron James.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have a different look this postseason.

“We,” James said, “have the look of a champion.”

Completely healthy and well rested, the Cavaliers took their first step toward an NBA title on Saturday as James scored 24 points and Shaquille O’Neal looked and played 10 years younger in a 96-83 victory over the Chicago Bulls in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference series.

O’Neal, playing for the first time since tearing a thumb ligament on Feb. 25, had 12 points, five rebounds, four assists and three blocks in 24 minutes as the top-seeded Cavs won a testy opener between two teams that obviously don’t care for each other.

“I have no friends in that locker room, except for Danny Green,” said Chicago’s Joakim Noah, who was plagued by foul trouble and booed for much of the game by Cleveland fans. “I don’t really know nobody on that team and I don’t really care. I just want to win.”

The Bulls, who trimmed a 22-point deficit to seven in the fourth quarter before wearing down, will get a chance to even the best-of-seven series Monday night in Cleveland.

Derrick Rose had 28 points and 10 assists for Chicago, which had the misfortune of being the first team to face the Cavs in these playoffs. Cleveland has been rebuilt for a championship, adding starters O’Neal, Antawn Jamison and Anthony Parker to a team that made it to the Eastern Conference finals last year.

After they were eliminated last May by Orlando, the Cavaliers went out and traded for O’Neal, a four-time NBA champion and icon. O’Neal was brought in not only to combat Magic center Dwight Howard but to help James win his first title and deliver Cleveland its first in any major pro sport since 1964.

The Cavs need 15 more wins to get it.

“Everyone knows it’s the first team to 16 wins,” O’Neal said.

Leading 68-46, the Cavs were coasting to an easy win when the Bulls, who have been in playoff mode for the past two weeks as they fought for the No. 8 seed, stormed back. They scored 12 straight and were still within striking distance, down 73-60 entering the fourth.

Chicago cut it to 82-75 on Brad Miller’s basket, but James converted a three-point play with 2:29 left and Mo Williams followed with a 3-pointer to put Cleveland up 94-81.

The comeback may have fallen short, but it gave the Bulls confidence for Game 2.

“We can’t wait to play,” Rose said. “I know I can’t. This is something I live for. I think about it every minute of the day, playing against the best team in the NBA.”

Williams added 19 points and 10 assists, and Jamison, acquired at the trading deadline from Washington, had 15 points and 10 rebounds. Cleveland blocked 12 shots—10 in the second half.

James was his usual MVP self, making plays at both ends. But unlike past postseasons, he doesn’t have to do it alone this time.

O’Neal, who upon arriving in Cleveland promised to “win a ring for the King,” looked remarkably sharp despite missing the Cavs’ final 23 games after undergoing surgery to fix his thumb. He dropped 20 pounds while he was sidelined by watching his diet and swimming.

“This is very vital for me, vital for everybody,” he said. “I wanted to come back extra, extra ready. This is the time we have to be ready.”

Cleveland’s offense ran smoothly while O’Neal was in the middle and he had the game’s signature play early in the third quarter.

Posting up Noah in the foul lane, the 7-foot-1 O’Neal made a quick spin move toward the baseline that faked out the Bulls center, who stumbled forward and nearly fell on his face. O’Neal then delivered a dunk and sprinted back down the floor scowling.

“That’s the patented move I’ve been doing for years,” the 38-year-old O’Neal said. “That’s the ‘Diesel Truck with No Brakes.’ When I get into that mood people get out of the way because they know I’m in the cab and I don’t have any brakes.”

Noah became quick road kill.

“I kind of knew he was going to do it at first, so I tried to take it away,” Noah said. “Then he waited and waited until a good time. He just knows how to use that 350 pounds.”

The teams, which split their two regular-season meetings, traded words and shoves on more than one occasion. Noah, who said the Bulls would “try to shock the world” in the series, got into it with Anderson Varejao. James and Brad Miller were assessed technicals in the first half following a collision, and James and Luol Deng had a discussion after the halftime horn.

Miller had to get medical treatment after taking an elbow from O’Neal, who was playing in his 204th postseason game.

“Just taking an elbow to the damn chin and bleeding,” Miller said. “My foul.”

James, who sat out Cleveland’s final four regular-season games to rest for the playoffs, was on the floor more than three hours before tip getting in some extra work. He’s waited almost one year to spit out the bitterness of coming up short last year and isn’t taking any chances.

Before the game, he conveyed that to his teammates.

“I told them, this is what have all waited for,” he said. “This is why we play hard throughout the regular season and throughout practices—to get to this point. As much as we loved the regular season, we love the postseason even more.”

vs(From the Associated Press) - For one magnificent half, the Atlanta Hawks did nearly everything right. They made shots. They blocked shots. They dunked and defended and did their best to run Milwaukee out of the building.

One half was all they needed Saturday to get off to a good start in the playoffs.

Led by Joe Johnson and getting production from all their key players, the Hawks blitzed the Bucks before halftime, survived a lackluster showing over the final two quarters and held off Milwaukee 102-92 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference series.

“We probably played as good in the first half as we’ve played all year,” Atlanta coach Mike Woodson said. “We jumped them right away.”

The Hawks had mismatches all over the court, taking advantage of the gruesome injury that took out Bucks center Andrew Bogut two weeks ago. The home team never trailed, building a 20-point lead in the first quarter and going to halftime with a 62-40 edge.

Milwaukee made a game of it led by Brandon Jennings, who scored 34 points in his playoff debut. But the rookie didn’t have nearly enough help against the No. 3-seeded Hawks, making their third straight playoff appearance and hoping to break up the expected Cleveland-Orlando duel in the Eastern Conference.

Game 2 in the best-of-seven series is Tuesday night in Atlanta.

“When you get ahead by so much, you kind of get lackadaisical,” Hawks guard Mike Bibby said. “Basketball is a game of runs. They made a run at us. The main thing is: We withstood it.”

The short-handed Bucks were making their first playoff appearance since 2006, and that inexperience showed even though Jennings tried to take matters into his own hands. He took 25 shots, making 14 of them, and accounted for more than third of his team’s points.

“Not having Andrew Bogut, I have to go back to playing the way I was at the beginning of the season,” Jennings said. “I have to be more aggressive if we’re going to have any chance to win.”

It’s going to be tough for one man to beat the Hawks, who have a balanced lineup and perhaps the best sixth man in the league, Jamal Crawford. Johnson scored 22 points, Mike Bibby added 19 and the other Atlanta starters also were in double figures. Crawford put up 17 points in the first postseason appearance of his 10-year career.

By comparison, only two other Milwaukee players joined Jennings with double-digit scoring.

Even though Crawford looked a bit nervous after waiting so long to experience the playoffs, he hit three big shots from beyond the 3-point arc.

“It felt really good,” said Crawford, who was bothered by a toe injury late in the season but wasn’t going to let anything stand in the way of this moment. “I was excited, nervous, everything. It felt so good to get it out of the way. It felt so good to make my first shot. I even smiled a little bit. I was like, ‘Wow, it’s really here.”’

The Hawks were nearly perfect in the opening quarter, while Milwaukee looked overwhelmed on the postseason stage. Atlanta made 15 of 23 shots, controlled the boards, blocked three shots and didn’t commit a turnover. The Bucks went 7 of 21 from the field, turned it over four times and appeared totally incapable of stopping Atlanta’s myriad weapons.

Al Horford and Josh Smith both scored eight points in the opening period, and the Hawks made it 32-12 on Crawford’s free throw in the final minute of the quarter before settling for a 34-17 lead. They stretched out the margin as high as 23 points in the first half, shooting an astonishing 62 percent (26 of 42) from the field.

“The first half, we were a little shell-shocked,” Bucks coach Scott Skiles said. “In the second half, we competed harder. We settled down a little bit. In the second half, we played more like ourselves.”

The Bucks made a game of it in the second half, taking advantage of the sleepwalking Hawks to cut the gap to 77-70 late in the third—the closest Milwaukee had been since the opening minutes. But Mike Bibby hit a big 3-pointer from the corner and Atlanta took an 81-70 lead to the final quarter.

Jennings and Ersan Ilyasova both had 3-point attempts that could have cut it to five points late in the game, but neither connected. The Hawks iced it from there as Johnson hit a big jumper with Luc Mbah a Moute right in his face.

“Hey, the first wins are always the toughest ones,” Woodson said.

The Bucks knew the odds were against them. They lost Michael Redd in January to a knee injury, but the biggest blow came with less than two weeks to go in the regular season when Bogut wrenched his right arm in a gruesome tumble to the court, finishing him for the season.

With Bogut out, Jennings was basically a one-man team. He had 20 of Milwaukee’s 40 points in the first half, and reached 30 points with more than six minutes left in the third quarter—before any of his teammates had even reached double figures.

The lightning-quick rookie was the one player who caused matchup problems for the Hawks, easily beating his man off the dribble no matter who the Hawks threw at him—everyone from 6-2 rookie Jeff Teague to 6-foot-10 center Al Horford.

“I’m going to play above my head the whole series,” Jennings said. “There’s no pressure on us.”