7. 1959 NBA CHAMPION BOSTON CELTICS v. 10. 2010 PHOENIX SUNS
Celtics: 52-20, 1st East Div, 5th Off/1st Def
d. Nats East Finals 4-3
d. Lakers NBA Finals 4-0
#105 overall seed
Coach: Red Auerbach
Starters
C Bill Russell 24-USF 16.7 PPG 20.7 PER 12.9 WS
F Tom Heinsohn 24-H Cross 18.8 17.9 6.5
F Sam Jones 25-NC Central 10.7 18 5.3
G Bob Cousy 30-H Cross 20 19.9 8.7
G Bill Sharman 32-USC 20.4 16.8 7.6
Rotation Reserves
C Gene Conley 28-Wash St 4.2 8.8 .4
F Bennie Swain 25-Tex So. 4.6 12.3 1.9
F Jim Loscutoff 28-Oregon 8.3 7.2 .9
G KC Jones 26-USF 3.5 9.5 .8
G Frank Ramsey 27-Kentucky 15.4 15.7 5.9
Leaders: Russell 1st Reb, Cousy 1st Assts, 1st Assts/Gm, 2nd FG%, 2nd Eff FG%, Russell 4th WS, 5th WS/48
Sharman: 1st FT%,
Cousy 4th FT%, 2nd Def WS, 3rd Def WS, 1st Trip-Doub
World Champion Celtics, top defense in 1959; it looks like every other Celtics team from the era. 24 year old Bill Russell is over 20 PER with double digit WS.
Suns: 54-28, 2nd Pac Div, 1st Off/23rd Def
d. Blazers West 1st Rnd 4-2
d. Spurs West Semis 4-0
Lost Lakers West Finals 4-2
#152 overall seed
Coach: Alvin Gentry, Asst Bill Cartwright, Dan Majerle, GM Steve Kerr
Starters
C Channing Frye 26-Arizona 11.2 PPG 15 PER 6.4 WS
F Amare Stoudemire 27 23.1 22.6 10.7
F Grant Hill 37-Duke 11.3 14 5.5
G Steve Nash 35-S Clara 16.5 21.6 9.9
G Jason Richardson 29-Mich St 15.7 16.6 6.6
Rotation Reserves
C Robin Lopez 21-Stanford 8.4 17.6 3.2
F Lou Amundson 27-UNLV 4.7 14.4 2.9
F Jared Dudley 24-B College 8.2 13.6 5.3
G Goran Dragic 23- 7.9 14.8 2.8
G Leandro Barbosa 27 9.5 14 1.1
Leaders: Nash 1st Assts, 1st Assts/Gm, 1st FT%, 4th TS%, 3rd Off WS, 4th Off +/-, 1st Asst %
Frye: 5th Eff FG%
Stoudemire 5th TS%
Dudley 2nd Off Rtng
The best offense in 2010 is the Suns; a severe contrast in sttles with these squads. 27 year old Amare Stoudemire leads the way, 20+ PER and double digit WS, 35 year old Steve Nash just a tick behind. Steve Kerr is in the front office.
Matchup
C Russell (Celtics)
F Amare (Suns)
F Jones (Celtics)
G Nash (Suns)
G Sharman (Celtics)
Bench: Suns
Game One
1st Qtr
9 Suns 7 Celtics 0
Celtics
Suns Hill, Amare(1) Hill, Amare
6 Suns 17 Celtics 13
Celtics Heinsohn, SJones, Heinsohn, Heinsohn(3) Heinsohn, Cousy
Suns Nash(3) Hill, Hill(3) Nash
Tommy Heinsohn scores 9 in the last 3 minutes to yank the Celtics into the game.
3 Suns 23 Celtics 20
Celtics Sharman(1) Heinsohn, SJones, Heinsohn
Suns Amare, Frye, Amare
1st Q Score Suns 31 Celtics 26
Celtics Heinsohn, Ramsey, Conley(1)
Suns Nash, Amundson, Lopez, Dudley
Boston's the 7th seed, a slight favorite - but these old Celtics teams have struggled to score points in the tournament. They trail here.
2nd Qtr
9 Suns 35 Celtics 30
Celtics Ramsey, Ramsey
Suns Dragic, Lopez
6 Suns 41 Celtics 36
Celtics Russell, Russell(3) Sharman(1)
Suns Nash, Barbosa, Nash
Suns maintain the lead.
3 Suns 48 Celtics 43
Celtics Sharman(3) Russell, Cousy
Suns Richardson(3) Amare, Richardson
Halftime Score Suns 55 Celtics 53
Celtics Heinsohn, Heinsohn, Ramsey, Cousy, Russell
Suns Amare, Nash(3) Amundson
Phoenix extended to a 10 point lead - with 5 seconds left, the Celtics tied the score. Suns up a bucket.
3rd Qtr
9 Suns 62 Celtics 60
Celtics Ramsey, SJones(3) SJones
Suns Amare(3) Nash, Amundson
6 Suns 68 Celtics 64
Celtics Sharman, SJones
Suns Hill, Nash, Amundson
7 for Sam Jones to open the 3rd, Suns up 4.
3 Celtics 73 Suns 72
Celtics Conley, Russell, Loscutoff, Conley(1) Heinsohn
Suns Hill, Barbosa
3rd Q Score Celtics 80 Suns 77
Celtics SJones, Sharman(3) Heinsohn
Suns Amare, Frye(3)
It took until there were 3 minute left in the 3rd, but the Celtics take their first lead.
4th Qtr
9 Celtics 91 Suns 85
Celtics Russell, Russell, KC Jones, Heinsohn(3) Cousy
Suns Nash, Barbosa, Amare, Amare
6 Celtics 101 Suns 92
Celtics Cousy(3) Heinsohn, Ramsey(3) Cousy
Suns Frye(3) Amare, Richardson
It's the Celtics who are pulling away here in the 4th, Cousy with 7 to open the qtr.
3 Celtics 111 Suns 102
Celtics Cousy, Cousy, Russell, Cousy, Sharman
Suns Dudley (3) Lopez, Lopez, Nash(1) Richardson
:31 Celtics 113 Suns 111
Celtics Russell
Suns Amare (3) Nash, Amare, Amare
Boston was up 8 with 90 seconds left, Nash scores, Russell missed and Amare scored, Russell missed again and at 31 seconds Amare scores again and the Suns cut the deficit to 2.
Heinsohn misses. Frye rebound for the Suns with 12 seconds left. Phoenix time out.
Amare gets it at the top - drives -- blocked by Russell!
Final: Celtics 113 Suns 111
Great flurry by the Suns in the last 90 seconds - but Amare's drive to tie the score at the buzzer is denied by Russell and Boston holds on. It's Russell's only block of the day.
Heinsohn: 28 pts/15 boards - Player of the Game
Russell: 19 pts/20 boards
Cousy: 19 pts/8 assists
Sam Jones: 13 pts/9 boards
Sharman: 15 pts/6 assists
Ramsey: 11 pts
Amare: 29 pts/13 boards
Nash: 23 pts/12 assists/6 boards
Hill: 13 pts/6 boards
Frye: 8 pts/13 boards
Game Two
1st Qtr
9 Suns 7 Celtics 6
Celtics SJones, Cousy, Cousy
Suns Frye(3) Nash, Amare
6 Suns 18 Celtics 16
Celtics Sharman, Cousy, SJones, Heinsohn, SJones
Suns Nash, Richardson, Amare, Dragic, Amare
Points! The clubs both come out firing in game 2.
3 Suns 26 Celtics 22
Celtics Cousy, SJones(3) Cousy(1)
Suns Dragic(3) Hill, Richardson(3)
1st Q Score Celtics 30 Suns 30
Celtics Ramsey, Russell, KCJones, Loscutoff
Suns Lopez, Barbosa
Boston's defense v. Phoenix's offense was supposed to be the story - but the Celtics have really filled the bucket so far; can they keep up this pace?
2nd Qtr
9 Celtics 36 Suns 35
Celtics Cousy, Loscutoff, Conley
Suns Dudley, Lopez(1) Barbosa
6 Celtics 45 Suns 43
Celtics Russell, Ramsey(3) SJones, SJones
Suns Nash, Nash, Richardson, Hill
No one has had a lead greater than 4 in this one; tight game 2 in Boston.
3 Suns 52 Celtics 49
Celtics SJones, SJones
Suns Amare(3) Nash (3) Barbosa(3)
Halftime Score Suns 61 Celtics 55
Celtics Sharman, Loscutoff, Loscutoff
Suns Dudley(3) Dudley, Nash, Lopez
Lopez hits a 4 footer with 2 seconds to go; that gives Phoenix the biggest lead for either side.
3rd Qtr
9 Suns 73 Celtics 61
Celtics Russell, Heinsohn, SJones
Suns Hill(3) Amare, Amare, Nash(3) Nash
6 Suns 81 Celtics 69
Celtics Russell, Cousy, SJones, Sharman
Suns Nash, Amundson, Frye, Nash
9 for Nash to open the half - Phoenix pulling away.
3 Suns 94 Celtics 71
Celtics Sharman
Suns Richardson(3) Nash, Richardson, Richardson, Amare, Nash
3rd Q Score Suns 98 Celtics 78
Celtics Heinsohn, Heinsohn, Sharman(3)
Suns Amare, Hill
Phoenix has got this one - they will coast home and force game 3.
4th Qtr
9 Suns 106 Celtics 82
Celtics Ramsey, Heinsohn
Suns Amare, Frye, Nash, Nash
6 Suns 106 Celtics 88
Celtics Russell, Sharman, Russell
Suns
3 Suns 108 Celtics 94
Celtics Russell, SJones, Sharman
Suns Dragic
Final Score Suns 113 Celtics 94
Celtics KC Jones, Loscutoff, KC Jones (3) Tsioropoulos(3)
Suns Tucker(1) Griffin, Clark(1) Tucker(1)
Phoenix runs over Boston in game 2 - and we are left with the showdown game.
Nash: 30 pts/11 assists-Player of the Game
Amare: 19 pts/14 boards
Richardson: 15 pts/7 boards
Sam Jones: 23 pts/11 boards
Russell: 14 pts/13 boards
Heinsohn: 10 pts/12 boards
Cousy: 13 pts/9 assists
Sharman: 15 pts
Loscutoff: 10 pts
Game 3
1st Qtr
9 Suns 8 Celtics 5
Celtics Sharman, SJones
Suns Amare, Amare, Hill, Hill
6 Suns 14 Celtics 12
Celtics Cousy(3) Sharman, Cousy
Suns Amare, Nash, Hill
Amare and Grant Hill each go for a half dozen to get this showdown game underway.
3 Suns 30 Celtics 22
Celtics Sharman, SJones (3) Sharman, SJones(1) Swain
Suns Frye, Nash(3) Amare, Nash, Dudley(3) Barbosa(3)
1st Q Score Suns 38 Celtics 26
Celtics Sharman, Sharman
Suns Barbosa, Amare(1) Dudley(3) Amundson
Phoenix's 21st century firepower may have broken the Celtics here in game 3.
2nd Qtr
9 Suns 44 Celtics 32
Celtics Conley, Tsioropoulos, KC Jones
Suns Barbosa, Amundson, Lopez
6 Suns 52 Celtics 34
Celtics Cousy
Suns Amare, Amare(3) Hill, Amare(1)
Phoenix has pulled away here - non competitive game 3 so far.
3 Suns 58 Celtics 46
Celtics Russell, SJones, Ramsey, SJones, Ramsey, Russell
Suns Frye, Nash, Nash
Halftime Score Suns 60 Celtics 50
Celtics Russell, Russell
Suns Richardson
8 for Russell in the last 6 minutes, Suns up 10.
3rd Qtr
9 Suns 69 Celtics 60
Celtics Cousy, Cousy, SJones, SJones, Swain
Suns Amare, Frye, Amare(3) Barbosa
6 Suns 74 Celtics 72
Celtics Russell, Ramsey, Heinsohn, Cousy, Heinsohn, Ramsey
Suns Amare, Barbosa(3)
Don't bury Boston yet - midway through the second the Suns lead was 18 - now it is 2.
3 Suns 78 Suns 74
Celtics Sharman
Suns Hill, Dragic
3rd Q Score Suns 87 Celtics 82
Celtics Heinsohn, SJones, Russell(1) Sharman(3)
Suns Lopez, Frye(3) Barbosa, Barbosa
5 point Phoenix lead - 12 minutes left in the series.
4th Qtr
11:47: PHO: Amare opens the quarter with a 13 footer.
11:03: PHO: Boston doesn't score - Hill is fouled the other way and makes 1. 8 point Suns lead.
10:57: BOS: Sharman pull up.
10:41: PHO: Amare layup.
10:34: BOS: Russell finger roll.
10:15: PHO: Lopez dunk.
10:08: BOS: Russell from the block.
9:48: PHO: JRich triple from the wing. 97-88
9:38: BOS: Russell dunk - 6 straight Celtics pts for Russ.
9:20: PHO: Lopez from the paint.
9:07: BOS: Ramsey from the paint.
Suns 99 Celtics 92
6 Suns 104 Celtics 98
Celtics Ramsey, Cousy, Heinsohn
Suns Richardson(3) Amare
5:51: BOS: Sam Jones off glass.
5:41: PHO: JRich pull up.
5:32: BOS: Russell banks from the right side.
5:19: PHO: Amare dunk. 108-102
5:04: PHO: Boston misses and Frye scores.
4:45: PHO: Boston misses and Nash scores - it's a ten point game.
Final Suns 124 Celtics 115
Celtics Conley(3) Heinsohn, Sharman(3) Russell, Heinsohn(3)
Celtics Conley(3) Heinsohn, Sharman(3) Russell, Heinsohn(3)
Suns Amundson, Nash, Amare, Amare, Amare(1) Richardson, Frye(1)
Its the Suns - just too much 21st century firepower.
Amare: 35 pts/11 boards - Player of the Game
Nash: 15 pts/18 assists
Hill: 11 pts/8 boards
Frye: 13 pts/6 boards
Richardson: 12 pts/5 assists
Barbosa: 16 pts
C Mourning ('99 Heat-1 PotG)
F Webber ('02 Kings - 2 PotG)
F Stoudemire ('10 Suns - 1 PotG)
G Magic ('89 Lakers-2 PotG)
G Nash ('10 Suns - 1 PotG)
2. 1983 NBA CHAMPION PHILADELPHIA 76ERS v. 15. 2011 DENVER NUGGETS
Sixers: 65-17, 1st Atl Div, 5th Off/5th Def
d. Knicks East Semis 4-0
d. Bucks East Finals 4-1
d. Lakers NBA Finals 4-0
#24th overall seed
Coach: Billy Cunningham
Starters
C Moses Malone 27 24.5 PPG 25.1 PER 15.1 WS
F Bobby Jones 31-UNC 9 16.4 6.4
F Julius Erving 32-UMass 21.4 23.1 10.9
G Mo Cheeks 26-W Tex A&M 12.5 18.6 9.4
G Andrew Toney 25-Louisiana 19.7 17.9 7.3
Rotation Reserves
C Clem Johnson 26-Florida A&M 6.8 12.8 1.8
F Mark Iavaroni 26-UVA 5.1 7.3 1.5
F Russ Schoene 22-Chatt 5.1 9.8 1.3
G Franklin Edwards 23-Cleve St 6.7 14.2 2.7
G Clint Richardson 26-Seattle 7.6 11.4 3.3
Leaders Moses 5th PPG, 1st Reb, 1st Reb/Gm, 1st PER, 1st WS 1st WS/48, 3rd Def Rtng, 1st Reb %
Cheeks: 5th Steals, 5th +/-, 5th Steal %
Erving: 5th PER, 4th WS/48, 3rd +/- 3rd VORP
Jones: 3rd Def +/-
Moses is 27, the Doctor is 32 and both are top 5 players in the league; 20+ PER, double digit WS.
Nuggets: 50-32, 2nd NW Div, 1st Off/16th Def
Lost Thunder West 1st Rnd 4-1
#233 overall seed
Coach: George Karl, Asst, Adrian Dantley, Stacey Augmon
Starters
C Nene 28 14.5 PPG 20.4 PER 9.6 WS
F Carmelo Anthony 26-Syracuse 25.2 21.2 4.7
F JR Smith 25 12.3 16.4 5
G Chauncey Billups 34-Colorado 16.5 18.6 5.8
G Arron Afflalo 25-UCLA 12.6 13.6 6.2
Rotation Reserves
C Chris Andersen 32-Blinn 5.6 19 3.2
F Kenyon Martin 33-Cincinnati 8.6 14.1 2.7
F Danilo Gallinari 22 14.7 15.9 1.2
G Ty Lawson 23-UNC 11.7 17.9 6.7
G Ray Felton 26-UNC 11.5 14.7 1.3
Leaders Carmelo 3rd PPG,
Nene 1st FG%, 1st Eff FG%, 2nd TS%, 3rd Off Rtng
Billups 2nd FT%, 5th Eff FG%
Aflalo 3rd Eff FG%, 3rd Eff FG%
26 year old Carmelo Anthony leads the '11 Nuggets, the top offense in the league. His is the only 20+ PER on the squad.
Matchup
C Moses (Sixers)
F Carmelo (Nuggets)
F Erving (Sixers)
G Cheeks (Sixers)
G Toney (Sixers)
Bench: Nuggets
Game One
1st Qtr
9 Sixers 10 Nuggets 4
Sixers Toney, Jones, Toney, Erving, Jones
Nuggets Smith, Carmelo
6 Sixers 16 Nuggets 8
Sixers Moses, Moses, Jones
Nuggets Nene, Smith
Underway - the 24th overall seed is Philly; they look to claim the final Region 9 spot.
3 Sixers 23 Nuggets 11
Sixers Toney, Moses(1) Cheeks, Erving
Nuggets Billups(3)
1st Q Score Sixers 33 Nuggets 13
Sixers Cheeks, Toney, Jones, Erving, Erving
Nuggets Andersen
Philly just all over Denver on both ends of the floor - 13 is a very small number of 1st qtr pts.
2nd Qtr
9 Sixers 39 Nuggets 20
Sixers Johnson, Johnson, Richardson
Nuggets Martin, Lawson(3) Nene
6 Sixers 43 Nuggets 22
Sixers Erving, Erving
Nuggets Martin
The Doctor has a dozen, Sixers rolling.
3 Sixers 51 Nuggets 29
Sixers Cheeks, Cheeks, Moses, Jones
Nuggets Anthony, Afflalo, Nene, Carmelo
Halftime Score Sixers 55 Nuggets 34
Sixers Erving, Moses
Nuggets Martin, Nene
Denver doesn't have any answers for the Sixers.
3rd Qtr
9 Sixers 59 Nuggets 40
Sixers Erving, Jones
Nuggets Afflalo, Afflalo, Billups
6 Sixers 65 Nuggets 50
Sixers Moses, Toney, Erving
Nuggets Andersen, Lawson, Billups, Carmelo, Camelo
Denver chips away; the Sixer lead down to 15.
3 Sixers 72 Nuggets 52
Sixers Toney, Toney, Toney(3)
Nuggets Nene
3rd Q Score Sixers 76 Nuggets 56
Sixers Moses, Moses
Nuggets Martin, Billups
56 could be the 3 qtr low for any team in the tournament. This is the best offense in the NBA in 2011.
4th Qtr
9 Sixers 84 Nuggets 58
Sixers Jones, Moses, Cheeks, Erving
Nuggets Lawson
6 Sixers 98 Nuggets 71
Sixers Moses, Jones, Jones, Cheeks(3) Toney, Toney(3)
Nuggets Lawson, Billups(3) Andersen, Billups, Billups, Lawson
It's a whipping.
3 Sixers 104 Nuggets 74
Sixers Erving, Cheeks
Nuggets Billups(3)
Final Score Sixers 110 Nuggets 89
Sixers Schoene, McNamara, McNamara
Nuggets Chandler, Harrington(3) Carter(3) Forbes, Harrington(3) Williams
Garbage time makes this look a little more respectable - but this was never a game.
Erving: 24 pts/11 boards-Player of the Game
Moses: 19 pts/20 boards/4 blocks
Jones: 18 pts/10 boards
Toney: 22 pts
Cheeks: 15 pts/6 assists
Anthony: 10 pts/9 boards
Billups: 19 pts
Nene: 10 pts/6 boards
Lawson: 11 pts/7 boards/5 assists
Game Two
1st Qtr
9 Nuggets 10 Sixers 9
Sixers Cheeks, Erving, Moses, Jones(3)
Nuggets Carmelo, Billups, Smith(3) Nene
6 Sixers 13 Nuggets 12
Sixers Toney, Erving
Nuggets Smith
Game 2 underway; Denver trying to stay alive.
3 Sixers 17 Nuggets 16
Sixers Jones, Toney
Nuggets Nene, Carmelo,
1st Q Score Sixers 25 Nuggets 22
Sixers Toney, Toney, Moses, Richardson
Nuggets Nene, Gallinari, Carmelo
8 for Andrew Toney to lead the way - Sixers up 3.
2nd Qtr
9 Sixers 25 Nuggets 23
Sixers
Nuggets Lawson(1)
6 Sixers 34 Nuggets 31
Sixers Moses(3) Toney, Erving, Richardson
Nuggets Billips(3) Smith(3) Andersen(1) Lawson(1)
Denver able to make some more shots today; still have a game.
3 Sixers 39 Nuggets 37
Sixers Toney(3) Erving
Nuggets Carmelo, Martin(1) Lawson(3)
Halftime Score Sixers 43 Nuggets 43
Sixers Moses, RJohnson
Nuggets Martin(1) Martin, Billups(3)
A late triple from Billups ties the score - Denver looking to force a decisive game 3.
3rd Qtr
9 Nuggets 45 Sixers 44
Sixers Jones(1)
Nuggets Nene
6 Nuggets 54 Sixers 48
Sixers Erving, Erving
Nuggets Billups, Billups, Martin, Smith(1) Lawson
It's Denver, their biggest lead of the series.
3 Nuggets 64 Sixers 52
Sixers RJohnson, Toney
Nuggets Lawson, Carmelo(3) Nene(1) Afflalo, Afflalo
3rd Q Score Nuggets 69 Sixers 64
Sixers Toney, Erving(3) Cheeks(3) Cheeks, Cheeks
Nuggets Lawson(3) Carmelo
It's Denver's defense, of all things, which fuels their run here in the third, the Nuggets lead was a dozen, down now to 5.
4th Qtr
9 Sixers 71 Nuggets 69
Sixers Toney, Toney, Edwards(1) Jones
Nuggets
The Sixers score the first 7 of the quarter to take the lead.
8:06: PHI: A minute later, Toney hits from the wing.
7:59: DEN: JR Smith long 2.
7:43: DEN: Quick Philly turnover - JR ties the game with another deep 2.
7:32: PHI: Hard dunk from the Doctor.
7:15: PHI: After a miss from Denver, Iavaroni scores from the foul line.
6:18: DEN: A minute later, it's KMart from just outside the paint.
6:03: PHI: Mo Cheeks turnaround.
5:46: DEN: Carmelo from the lane.
5:37: PHI: The Doctor matches.
5:29: DEN: Carmelo knifes one inside to Andersen, easy layup.
5:21: PHI: Erving again - another dunk.
5:13: DEN: Carmelo again - bank shot from the paint.
4:57: PHI: Moses drives and scores.
4:37: PHI: Denver misses - Cheeks doesn't - the Sixer lead is 6.
3:51: DEN: Denver misses but maintains possessesion and Martin scores in traffic.
3:21: DEN: Mosses misses, Lawson makes Philly pay - the deficit is 2.
3:05: PHI: Toney baseline.
2:15: DEN: Couple of attempts for Denver ends in a KMart FT. 89-86
1:45: PHI: Toney misses a dagger 3, but Erving gets the board - he finds Moses - Moses J from the paint. Big.
1:10: DEN: Denver misses - keeps possession and Smith scores.
:53: PHI: Down 3 - Denver doesn't foul - Moses scores - and gets fouled - and hits the shot and that could be it.
:46: DEN: Carmelo.
:32: DEN: Denver gets a turnover and JR scores - the deficit is 2.
Erving misses at 15 seconds. Denver has the ball for the last shot - can they force OT. Carmelo goes isolation - has the ball stripped by Bobby Jones - Moses will hit a couple of FT and that's the end.
Final: Sixers 96 Nuggets 92
Region 9 comes to an end - the Sixers move on.
Moses: 19 pts/20 boards - Player of the Game
Erving: 21 pts/9 boards/7 assists
Toney: 25 pts
Cheeks: 13 pts/9 assists/5 boards
All Region Team
C Malone ('83 Sixers-1 PotG)
F Webber ('02 Kings - 2 PotG)
F Stoudemire ('10 Suns - 1 PotG)
G Magic ('89 Lakers-2 PotG)
G Nash ('10 Suns - 1 PotG)
