Sundays NBA Playoff Capsules
April 27th, 2009 Posted in NBA basketball newsCHICAGO 121, BOSTON 118 (2OT)
CHICAGO Ben Gordon scored 22 points, hitting the tying 3-pointer in the first overtime, and the Chicago Bulls beat the Boston Celtics 121-118 in double overtime to tie their first-round series at two games apiece.
Derrick Rose added 23 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists. John Salmons scored 20 points after a slow start, hitting four free
throws in the final 26 seconds of the game and blocking Paul Pierces tying 3-pointer.
Bostons Ray Allen buried a 3-pointer with 9.8 seconds left in regulation to tie it at 96, and Rose missed a fadeaway in the closing seconds of regulation. Gordon came through with 4.5 seconds left in the first overtime, hitting a 3-pointer over Pierce to tie it at 110, and the Bulls never trailed in the second OT.
CLEVELAND 99, DETROIT 78
AUBURN HILLS, Michigan LeBron James earned a break.
James had 36 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 99-78 victory over the Detroit Pistons, sweeping the Eastern Conference first-round series.
The top-seeded Cavs might be off for more than a week, waiting for Atlanta or Miami to advance.
Detroit, meanwhile, will have its longest offseason since 2001 and about $20 million in salary-cap space to rebuild a once-proud team.
James made his first four shotsincluding a windmill dunk. He helped put the Pistons away for good with a 16-6 run midway through the third quarter.
Mo Williams scored a career playoff-high 24 for the Cavs.
Detroits Antonio McDyess had 26 points, tying a career playoff high.
ORLANDO 84, PHILADELPHIA 81
PHILADELPHIA Hedo Turkoglu answered the Philadelphia 76ers late-game heroics with a big shot of his own.
Turkoglu nailed a 3-pointer over Thaddeus Young with 1.1 seconds to lift the Orlando Magic to an 84-81 victory over Philadelphia, evening their Eastern Conference first-round series at two games apiece.
Dwight Howard had 18 points and 15 rebounds, and every Magic starter scored in double figures. Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis each scored 17.
Andre Miller led the Sixers with 17 and Young had 15.
Game 5 of the best-of-seven series is Tuesday night in Orlando. The teams have alternated wins so far.
HOUSTON 89, PORTLAND 88
HOUSTON The Houston Rockets are one win away from finally escaping the first round.
Yao Ming had 21 points and 12 rebounds and the Rockets took a 3-1 lead in their playoff series with Portland, beating the Trail Blazers 89-88.
Luis Scola scored 17 points and Shane Battier added 14 points and six assists for the Rockets, who snapped a six-game losing
streak in Game 4s, coinciding with their 0-6 record in first-round series since 1998. Game 5 is Tuesday night in Portland.
Brandon Roy scored 31 points and went 13-for-13 from the free-throw line for the Blazers.
