6B
SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY OF DARY KANSAN
MONDAY, APRIL 21, 2008
NBA
Day one of the playoffs brings unexpected finishes
Tim Duncan hits first three of year; 'overrated' Cavaliers silence Wizards; Yao-less Rockets down Jazz; Josh Paul scores 35
ASSOCIATED PRESS
San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan shoots a three-point shot against the Phoenix Suns during the first overtime in Game 1 of their Western Conference playoff basketball series in San Antonio, Saturday. Duncan made the shot forcing a second overtime. San Antonio won 117-115 on double-overtime: Duncan scored 40 points.
SPURS 117, SUNS 115
SAN ANTONIO — Tim Duncan saved the Spurs with a rare 3-pointer at the end of the first overtime, and Manu Ginobili hit a layup with 1.8 seconds left in double OT to send San Antonio past the Phoenix Suns, 117-115 on Saturday in Game 1 of their first-round series.
Duncan finished with 40 points and 15 rebounds.
The Suns had controlled play for the first three quarters, leading by as many as 16 points despite early foul trouble for Shaquille O'Neal. The Suns had a six-point lead heading into the fourth quarter.
The Spurs were down 93-90 with 1:10 to go after Leandro Barbosa's fast-break layup.
With 15 seconds left, Michael Finley tied it at 93 for the Spurs with a
3-pointer.
With his team down 104-101, Duncan found himself all alone at the 3-point line. After only a slight hesitation, he fired and made his first 3 of the season with 3 seconds to play to make it 104-104.
Before Ginobil's game-winning drive to the basket, Steve Nash made a 3-pointer from the corner to tie it at 115.
Tony Parker added 26 points for the Spurs, and Ginobili had 24.
Amare Stoudemire, who fouled out with 12 seconds left in the first overtime, led the Suns with 33 points. Nash had 25 points and 13 assists, Shaquille O'Neal scored 11 points.
The teams will meet again in San Antonio on Tuesday night before the Western Conference series shifts to Arizona.
CAVALIERS 93. WIZARDS 86
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Cleveland Cavaliers' Anderson Varejao, of Brazil, scraps with Washington Wizards' Antwon Jamison for the ball in the second half of their playoff game Saturday in Cleveland. The ball was called a jump ball. The Cavaliers won 93-86.
CLEVELAND — Determined to make the Wizards swallow their words, LeBron James scored 32 points and Cleveland won Game 1 of the third consecutive first-round playoff series the Eastern Conference rivals have played.
Called "overrated" by Washington's DeShawn Stevenson in the final weeks of the season, James scored 20 points in the second half to lead the defending Eastern Conference champions, who took a 1-0 lead in a best-of-seven series that appears to have a long way to go.
James sat out the early part of the fourth quarter to rest a troublesome back. But once he returned to the floor, the superstar forward came through.
With the score tied 84-84, James knifed his way down the lane and hit a layup between Antawn Jamison and Brendan Haywood with 1:37 remaining. Following a miss by Gilbert Arenas, James powered past Stevenson and dropped a floater with 55 seconds left in the game — and one tick to spare on the 24-second shot clock.
Zydrunas Ilgauskas added 22 points and 11 rebounds and Delonte West finished with 16 points for the Cavaliers.
Arenas scored 24 points in 27 minutes before fouling out with 13 seconds to go. Jamison added 23 and Stevenson had three on 1-of-9 shooting for Washington, which has lost to Cleveland in the opening round the past two seasons.
Game 2 is Monday night.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Houston Rockets' Carl Landry tries to drive around Utah Jazz's Matt Harpring, left, during the fourth quarter in Game 1 of their playoff series Saturday in Houston. The Jazz beat the Rockets 93-82.
JAZZ 93. ROCKETS 82
HOUSTON – Andrei Kirlenniko scored 21 points, Carlos Booser had 20 points and 16 rebounds and Utah beat Houston in Game 1.
Deron Williams had 20 points and 10 assists as Utah, 17-24 on the road during the regular season, won its second straight playoff game in Houston. The last victory came in Game 7 last season, and that was when Houston got help from Yao Ming.
Yao is not around for this one. He's out for the series with a foot injury. Utah had a 34-29 rebounding edge through three quarters and Boozer hit 10 of 20 shots.
The Rockets are also playing without starting point guard Rafer Alston, who strained his right hamstring late in the season. His backup, Bobby Jackson, scored seven points on 3-for-15 shooting.
Shane Battier scored 22 and Tracy McGrady had 20 points for Houston, which shot 37 percent (29 of 79).
Game 2 is Monday.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Dallas Mavericks center Erick Dampier jumps past New Orleans Hornets forward David West in the second half of game 1 of their playoff series in New Orleans Saturday. The Hornets won 104-92.
HORNETS 104, MAVERICKS 92
NEW ORLEANS — Chris Paul had 35 points and 10 assists in his first playoff game Saturday night, lifting New Orleans to a come-from-behind victory over Dallas.
David West, in his first playoff game since he was a rookie reserve, scored 23 points, and Tyson Chandler had 10 points and 15 rebounds to help New Orleans storm back from a 12-point halftime deficit and win going away.
Dirk Nowitzki had his way with New Orleans early and finished with 31 points, but scored only four during Dallas' fourth-quarter collapse. Josh Howard added 17 points for the Mavericks, a team that hasn't missed the playoffs in eight seasons and was in the finals two years ago.
Jason Kidd finished with 11 points and nine assists.
But the Mavericks had only nine field goals in the second half and no answer to Paul, whose third year in the NBA has included a maiden All-Star game nod and serious consideration for league MVP.
Associated Press
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