(changed my mind again, I'm going to finish the full first round, then combine the next two rounds to get all the way down to 32)
1. 1991 NBA CHAMPION CHICAGO BULLS v. 16. 2003 EAST CHAMP NEW JERSEY NETS
Bulls: 61-21, 1st Cen Div, 1st Off, 7th Def
d. Knicks East 1st Rnd 3-0
d. Sixers East Semis 4-1
d. Pistons East Finals 4-0
d. Lakers NBA Finals 4-1
#8 overall seed
Coach: Phil Jackson
Starters
C Bill Cartwright 33-USF 9.6 PPG 11.5 PER 4.2 WS
F Horace Grant 25-Clemson 12.8 17.6 10.3
F Scottie Pippen 25-Cent Ark 17.8 20.6 11.2
G John Paxson 30-N Dame 8.7 14 5.7
G Michael Jordan 27-UNC 31.5 31.6 20.3
Rotation Reserves
C Will Perdue 25-Vandy 4.1 13.7 2.3
F Stacey King 24-Oklahoma 5.5 10.2 1.5
F Cliff Levingston 30-Wichita St 4 11.5 2
G BJ Armstrong 23-Iowa 8.8 14.8 4.1
G Craig Hodges 30-CaSt Lng Beach 5 12.4 1.7
Leaders: Jordan: 1st PPG, 3rd Steals, 3rd Steals/Gm, 1st PER, 1st WS, 1st WS/48, 1st +/-, 1st VORP, 4th Off Rtng, 4th Steal %
Pippen: 5th Steals, 5th Steals/Gm, 4th Trip-Doub
Paxson: 5th Eff FG%, 5th Off Rtng
Grant: 3rd Off Rtng
27 year old Michael Jordan is first in everything. PER, Win Shares, Win Shares/48, VORP. Pippen adds a 20 PER year and he and Grant have double digit WS.
Nets: 49-33 1st in Atlantic Div, 18th Off, 1st Def
d. Bucks East First Round 4-2
d. Celtics East Semis 4-0
d. Pistons East Finals 4-0
lost NBA Finals Spurs 4-2
d. Bucks East First Round 4-2
d. Celtics East Semis 4-0
d. Pistons East Finals 4-0
lost NBA Finals Spurs 4-2
d. 1983 Suns
# 249 overall seed
Coach: Byron Scott, GM Rod Thorn
Starters:
C Jason Collins 24-Stanford 5.7 PPG 9.9 PER 4.7 Win Shares
F Kenyon Martin 25-Cincinnati 16.7 16.9 7.1
F Richard Jefferson 22-Arizona 15.5 16.6 9.9
G Jason Kidd 29-Cal 18.7 22.2 11.3 (1st in assists)
G. Kerry Kittles 28-Nova 13 18.3 7.7
Rotation Reserves:
C Dikembe Mutombo 36-Georgetown 5.8 11.2 .8
F Aaron Williams 31-X 6.2 11.9 3.7
F Rodney Rogers 31-Georgia T 7 11.7 2.3
G Anthony Johnson 28-Charelston 4.1 11.3 1.8
G Lucious Harris 32-CSt Lng Beach 10.3 13.5 4.7
Leaders: Kidd 1st Assts, 1st Assts/Gm, 5th Steals, 5th Steals/Gm, 3rd Def WS, 2nd Asst%, 5th Steal %, 3rd TO%
Martin: 4th Def Rtng
Kittles 2nd TO%
The Nets have a really steep hill to climb facing the first Bulls title team, the 8th overall seed. 29 year old Jason Kidd leads the squad, 20+ PER, double digit WS. Rod Thorn is the Nets GM - he was the Bulls GM who drafted Michael Jordan.
Matchup
C Cartwright (Bulls)
F Grant (Bulls)
F Pippen (Bulls)
G Kidd (Nets)
G Jordan (Bulls)
Bench: Nets
Game One
1st Qtr
9 Nets 8 Bulls 4
Bulls Cartwright(1) Pippen, Grant(1)
Nets Kittles, Jefferson, Kittles, Kidd
6 Nets 12 Bulls 11
Bulls Grant(1) Pippen, Paxson, Pippen
Nets Martin, Martin
Region 8 kicks off - Pippen's got 6, Nets up a point.
3 Nets 21 Bulls 19
Bulls Perdue, Armstrong, Grant, Jordan
Nets Rogers(3) Kidd(1) Mutombo(1) Mutombo, Rogers
1st Qtr Score Bulls 31 Nets 25
Bulls Jordan, Jordan, Perdue, Armstrong, Perdue, Perdue
Nets Harris, Mutombo
Chicago closes the quarter by getting the ball inside the Perdue; he scores 8 in the back 6 and Chicago leads.
2nd Qtr
9 Bulls 35 Nets 32
Bulls Levingston, Jordan
Nets Mutombo(3) Kittles, Harris
6 Bulls 42 Nets 34
Bulls Hopson, Paxson(3) Grant
Nets Martin
Chicago defense asserts itself to start the second, the lead is 8.
3 Bulls 52 Nets 41
Bulls Jordan, Jordan, Pippen, Jordan, Jordan
Nets Kidd(3) Jefferson, Kidd
Halftime Score Bulls 59 Nets 52
Bulls Pippen, Jordan(3) Cartwright
Nets Harris, Harris, Jefferson, Harris(3) Harris
9 points in the last 3 minutes for Lucious Harris cuts the Bulls lead to 7 at the half.
3rd Qtr
9 Bulls 63 Nets 56
Bulls Jordan, Levingston
Nets Martin, Martin
6 Bulls 73 Nets 58
Bulls Jordan, Armstrong, Pippen, Jordan, Pippen
Nets Johnson
Chicago breaks the Nets back as the 3rd starts; 6 more for Jordan and this should wrap game one.
3 Bulls 78 Nets 63
Bulls Paxson(3) Paxson
Nets Jefferson(1) Kittles, Mutombo, Kittles
3rd Qtr Score Bulls 81 Nets 68
Bulls Paxson(3)
Nets Kittles, Kittles, Jefferson(1)
Paxson is the only Bull to score in the last 6 minutes, Chicago's lead is 13.
4th Qtr
9 Bulls 85 Nets 76
Bulls Grant, Paxson
Nets Williams, Kidd, Kidd, Kidd
6 Bulls 95 Nets 80
Bulls Jordan, Grant, Jordan, Jordan
Nets
New Jersey got it to single digits, that's done.
3 Bulls 99 Nets 84
Bulls Perdue, King
Nets Collins, Martin
Final Score Bulls 108 Nets 89
Bulls Hopson, Hodges(3) Williams, King
Nets Slay(1) Scalabrine
Bulls never really had to kick this into high gear; whenever the Nets made a little run the Bulls would just tighten the screws defensively, make a few buckets offensively, and they cruise down the stretch.
Jordan: 31 pts/7 boards/6 steals - Player of the Game
Pippen: 16 pts/10 boards/8 assists
Grant: 10 pts/12 boards
Paxson: 15 pts
Perdue: 10 pts/12 boards/5 blocks
Kidd: 14 pts/7 boards/12 assists
Martin: 14 pts/8 boards
Kittles: 14 pts/6 boards
Mutombo: 10 pts/5 boards/4 blocks
Harris: 13 pts
Game Two
1st Qtr
9 Bulls 10 Nets 0
Bulls Jordan, Grant(3) Cartwright, Pippen(1) Pippen
Nets
6 Bulls 18 Nets 2
Bulls Pippen, Jordan, Jordan, Jordan
Nets Jefferson
Yikes. Chicago scores 14 to open the game. It's over.
3 Bulls 24 Nets 5
Bulls Grant, Jordan, Grant
Nets Mutombo, Mutumbo(1)
1st Qtr Score Bulls 35 Nets 16
Bulls Jordan, Grant, Perdue(1) Hodges, Armstrong, Levingston
Nets Kidd, Jefferson, Harris, Rogers(3) Rogers
Bulls are going to move into the second round, face the winner of the next series between the Lakers and the Wolves - we may see a battle of NBA Champions in the round of 128.
2nd Qtr
9 Bulls 41 Nets 18
Bulls King, Hopson, Levingston
Nets Harris
6 Bulls 45 Nets 18
Bulls Cartwright, Grant
Nets
The Nets have just 18 points in the first 18 minutes of this game.
3 Bulls 49 Nets 26
Bulls Jordan, Grant
Nets Kidd, Martin, Jefferson, Martin
Halftime Score Bulls 53 Nets 32
Bulls Levingston, Perdue
Nets Kittles, Rogers, Jefferson
Best stretch of the game for New Jersey, but it's too little.
3rd Qtr
9 Bulls 62 Nets 38
Bulls Paxson, Grant, Jordan(3) Grant
Nets Mutombo, Williams, Williams
6 Bulls 70 Nets 42
Bulls King, Pippen, Jordan, Pippen
Nets Martin, Martin
Lot of bench players going to get 4th quarter run for the Bulls.
3 Bulls 81 Nets 46
Bulls Grant, Armstrong, Jordan, Jordan(3) Jordan
Nets Jefferson, Kittles
3rd Qtr Score Bulls 86 Nets 58
Bulls Perdue(3) Paxson
Nets Jefferson, Martin(3) Kittles(3) Kidd, Jefferson
Bulls with maybe the top defensive performance of the tournament.
4th Qtr
9 Bulls 91 Nets 64
Bulls Jordan(3) Pippen
Nets Jefferson, Martin, Harris
6 Bulls 96 Nets 72
Bulls Jordan(3) Jordan
Nets Rogers, Kittles, Jefferson, Martin
Jordan adds 8 more - the series is about to end.
3 Bulls 104 Nets 76
Bulls Pippen, Jordan, Jordan, Hodges
Nets Kittles, Collins(1)
Final Score Bulls 109 Nets 76
Bulls Williams, Hodges(3)
Nets
This one's non-competitive, Chicago cruiiiiises.
Jordan: 38 pts - Player of the Game
Grant: 19 pts/7 boards
Pippen: 13 pts/8 boards/8 assists
8. 1982 NBA CHAMPION LA LAKERS v. 9. 2004 MW DIV CHAMP MINN T-WOLVES
Lakers: 57-25, 1st Pac Div, 2nd Off, 10th Def
d. Suns West Semis 4-0
d. Spurs West Finals 4-0
d. Sixers NBA Finals 4-2
#121 overall seed
Coach: Pat Riley, GM Bill Sharman
Starters
C Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 34-UCLA 23.9 PPG 23.4 PER 10.7 WS
F Mitch Kupchak 27-UNC 14.3 15.2 2.4
F Jamaal Wilkes 28-UCLA 21.1 16.5 7.7
G Magic Johnson 22-Michigan St 18.6 22.9 12.9
G Norm Nixon 26-Duquense 17.6 15.3 6.6
Rotation Reserves
C Bob McAdoo 30-UNC 9.6 14.4 1.5
F Kurt Rambis 23-Santa Clara 4.6 12.8 2.3
F Jim Brewer 30-Minnesota 2.4 10.1 1.8
G Eddie Jordan 27-Rutgers 3.8 12.2 .7
G Michael Cooper 25-N Mexico 11.9 14.3 5
Leaders: Magic: 2nd Assists, 2nd Assts/Gm, 3rd Steals, 1st Steals/Gm, 4th WS, 5th WS/48, 2nd +/-, 1st VORP, 1st Trip-Doub
Nixon: 4th assists, 5th Assts/Gm
Kareem: 4th blocks, 3rd Blocks/Gm, 4th FG%, 4th Eff FG%, 5th PER, 5th +/-
World Champion Lakers are seeded 8th in the region; are they a trap for the Bulls in the next round? Magic and Kareem are both 20+ PER with double digit WS and a 22 year old Magic led the league in VORP.
T-WOLVES: 58-24, 1st MW Div, 5th Off, 6th Def
d. Nuggets 4-1 West 1st Rnd
d. Kings West Semis 4-3
Lost Lakers West Finals 4-2
#136 overall seed
Coach: Flip Saunders, GM Kevin McHale
Starters
C Gary Trent 29-Ohio 5.6 PPG 12.9 PER 2.3 WS
F Kevin Garnett 27 24.2 29.4 18.3
F Latrell Sprewell 33-Alabama 16.8 14.7 5.7
G Sam Cassell 34-Florida St 19.8 22.8 12.1
G Fred Hoiberg 31-Iowa St 6.7 13.6 6.1
Rotation Reserves
C Ervin Johnson 36-N Orleans 1.9 8.5 2.3
F Oliver Miller 33-Arkansas 2.5 12.9 1.4
F Mark Madsen 28-Stanford 3.6 9.4 2.7
G Trenton Hassell 24-Austin Peay 5 8.2 4
G Wally Szczerbiak 26-Miami 10.2 15.3 1.6
Leaders: KG 3rd PPG, 1st Reb, 1st Reb/Gm, 1st PER, 1st WS, 1st WS/48, 1st +/-, 1st VORP, 3rd Def Rtng, 2nd Reb%, 3rd Trip-Doub
Cassell 4th Assists, 5th Assts/Gm, 4th WS, 5th WS/48, 5th Asst%
27 year old KG matches 27 year old Jordan - first in everything. PER, WS, WS/48 and VORP. Cassell joins him with double digit WS and 20+ PER. Kevin McHale is the GM, going up against the Lakers, Ervin Johnson plays against that other guy named Ervin - this is the only Wolves team standing.
Matchup
C Kareem (Lakers)
F Garnett (Wolves)
F Wilkes (Lakers)
G Push
G Nixon (Lakers)
Bench: Lakers
1st Qtr
9 Wolves 10 Lakers 7
Lakers Kupchak(3) Magic, Magic
Wolves KG, Trent, Sprewell, KG(1) Cassell
6 Lakers 15 Wolves 14
Lakers Nixon, Kupchak, Kupchak, Kupchak
Wolves KG, KG
Mitch Kupchak gets it going, he's got 9 and the series is underway.
3 Lakers 24 Wolves 21
Lakers Kupchak(3) Kupchak, Magic, Nixon
Wolves Hoiberg, Sprewell, Hassell(3)
1st Qtr Score Lakers 26 Wolves 21
Lakers McAdoo
Wolves
Kupchak's got 14 points, Lakers up 5.
2nd Qtr
9 Wolves 33 Lakers 30
Lakers Cooper, Cooper
Wolves Szczerbiak, Szczerbiak(3) Hudson, Sprewell, Sprewell(3)
6 Wolves 44 Lakers 38
Lakers Magic, Nixon, Magic, Brewer
Wolves KG, Cassell, Trent(3) KG, KG
Minnesota flips the game completely; Garnett scores six and that's the T-Wolves lead.
3 Lakers 48 Wolves 46
Lakers Cooper, Kareem, Kareem, Cooper, Kupchak
Wolves Cassell
Halftime Score Lakers 54 Wolves 51
Lakers Kareem, McAdoo, Kupchak
Wolves Miller(1) Cassell, KG
We got a fun one; LA goes back out in front as Kareem adds 6.
3rd Qtr
9 Wolves 62 Lakers 58
Lakers Magic, Jordan
Wolves Cassell, Sprewell, Cassell, KG, Szczerbiak(3)
6 Wolves 66 Lakers 64
Lakers Kupchak, Kareem, Kupchak
Wolves KG, Szczerbiak
Back and forth - Wally goes for 5 and the Wolves retake the lead.
3 Lakers 72 Wolves 72
Lakers Nixon, Wilkes, Wilkes, Kareem
Wolves Szczerbiak(3) KG(1) Hoiberg
3rd Qtr Score Wolves 83 Lakerd 82
Lakers Magic, Kareem, Kareem, Kareem, Kareem
Wolves Hoiberg, Cassell, Hoiberg, Hoiberg(3) Cassell
It's Kareem time - the Captain scores 10, but it's Minnesota up 1.
4th Qtr
11:46 LA: Kareem dunks from the Magic dish.
11:23: MIN: Cassell from the lane.
9:15: MIN: 2 minutes later, a Garnett dunk makes it a 3 pt game.
9:02: LA: Nixon hits a long two.
8:53: MIN: Hoiberg misses a triple - but Cassell is there with the putback.
8:31: LA: Kupchak from the block.
7:55: MIN: Sprewell misses a triple, but Garnett is there and he will get the bucket.
7:48: LA: Wilkes from midrange.
7:13: LA: Empty Wolves trip leads to a Magic turnaround and LA regains the lead.
5:19: MIN: After some failed trips - KG comes through with the post moves.
3:59: LA: Everybody misses, then McAdoo comes through with the midrange.
3:38: LA Rambis blocks Hoiberg and Magic drives to the goal. 96-93 Lakers
3:31: MIN: KG from the wing.
2:59: LA: Magic misses, but gets his own board and scores.
2:26: LA: KG misses - Magic scores again and the lead is 5.
1:59: LA: Spree misses and Wilkes hits the bank from the wing.
1:44: LA: Garnett misses - Wilkes is fouled by Hoiberg and makes 1.
1:28: MIN: Sprewell from the lane.
1:18: LA: Kupchak down low.
1:02: LA: Garnett turns it over - he fouls Magic, who hits both and this game is done.
:54: MIN: Spree triple
:50: LA: Kareem 1 FT
:26: LA: Wilkes 2 FT
:14: MIN: Trent
:10: LA: Nixon 2 FT
Final: LA 112 Minn 102
LA trrailed by 1 with a little over 5 to go - but the Lakers clamped down and pulled awat.
Magic: 24 pts/14 boards/7 assists - Player of the Game
Kupchak: 26 pts
Kareem: 21 pts/9 boards/7 assists
Nixon: 12 pts/10 assists/5 boards
Wilkes: 11 pts/7 boards
KG: 28 pts/12 boards/6 assists
Cassell: 21 pts/5 assists
Sprewell: 16 pts/5 boards
Hoiberg: 11 pts
Szczerbiak: 13 pts/5 boards
1st Qtr
9 Lakers 12 Wolves 8
Lakers Wilkes, Kareem, Magic, Kareem, Nixon, Nixon
Wolves KG, Cassell, KG, Cassell
6 Lakers 18 Wolves 16
Lakers Magic, Kareem, Kupchak
Wolves Cassell, Cassell(3) Sprewell(3)
9 for Sam Cassell, Wolves trail by 2.
3 Lakers 25 Wolves 23
Lakers Kareem, Magic(1) Kareem, Wilkes
Wolves Hoiberg(1) Sprewell, Cassell, KG
1st Qtr Score Lakers 37 Wolves 28
Lakers Magic(3) Cooper, Cooper, Kupchak, McAdoo(3)
Wolves Hassell(1) Madsen, Trent
Minnesota gets as close as 2 - but a couple of 3 balls from LA extend the lead as we conclude a high scoring first.
2nd Qtr
9 Lakers 41 Wolves 31
Lakers Wilkes, Cooper
Wolves KG(3)
6 Lakers 45 Wolves 36
Lakers Nixon, Kareem
Wolves Trent, Hassell, Madsen(1)
Showtime still up 9 - looking to advance to play that first Jordan title team.
3 Lakers 51 Wolves 39
Lakers McAdoo, Wilkes, Magic
Wolves Szczerbiak(3)
Halftime Score Lakers 59 Wolves 43
Lakers McAdoo, Wilkes, McAdoo, Cooper
Wolves Cassell, KG
The Lakers have maybe put this one to bed; that matchup against Chicago sure looks like a real highlight of round 2.
3rd Qtr
9 Lakers 69 Wolves 52
Lakers Kareem, Nixon, Magic, Kupchak, Kareem
Wolves KG, KG, Hoiberg(3) KG
6 Lakers 76 Wolves 57
Lakers Kareem(3) Rambis, Rambis
Wolves Szczerbiak, KG(1) Hoiberg
7 more for Kareem, the Lakers will move on.
3 Lakers 80 Wolves 65
Lakers Wilkes, Jordan
Wolves KG, Cassell, KG, Madsen
3rd Qtr Score Lakers 87 Wolves 70
Lakers Hoiberg, Sprewell(3)
Wolves Brewer, Cooper(1) Kareem, Wilkes
4th Qtr
9 Lakers 93 Wolves 78
Lakers Kareem, Magic, McAdoo
Wolves Cassell, Cassell, Sprewell, Szczerbiak
6 Lakers 103 Wolves 84
Lakers Nixon, Kupchak, Magic, McAdoo, Magic
Wolves Szczerbiak, KG, KG
3 Lakers 111 Wolves 88
Lakers Cooper, Kareem, Wilkes, Magic
Wolves Trent, Trent
Final Score Lakers 121 Wolves 93
Lakers McAdoo, Magic, Kareem, Kareem, Jordan
Wolves KG, Sprewell(3)
No sweat here in game 2 - Lakers sweep just not in doubt. KG goes for 28/14.
Kareem: 29 pts/13 boards - Player of the Game
Magic: 22 pts/7 boards/8 assists
Nixon: 10 pts/10 assists
Wilkes: 16 pts/8 boards
Kupchak: 8 pts/10 boards
McAdoo: 15 pts/7 boards
Cooper: 11 pts
All Region Team:
C Kareem ('82 Lakers - 1 PotG)
F Pippen ('91 Bulls)
F Garnett ('04 Wolves)
G Jordan ('91 Bulls - 2 PotG)
G Magic ('82 Lakers - 1 PotG)
