7. 2017 SW DIV CHAMPS SAN ANTONIO SPURS V. 10. 2013 DENVER NUGGETS
Two slots left in Region 2. Winner of this one gets one of them.
Spurs: 61-21, SW Div Champs, 9th in Off, 1st in Def
d. Grizzlies West First Round, 4-2
d. Rockets West Semis 4-0
Lost Warriors West Finals 4-0
#98 overall seed
Coach: Gregg Popovich
Starters
C Pau Gasol (36) 12.4 PPG 20.2 PER 6.4 Win Shares
F LaMarcus Aldridge (31, Texas) 17.3 18.6 7.2
F Kawhi Leonard (25, S Diego St) 25.5 27.6 13.6
G Patty Mills (28, St Marys) 9.5 15.2 5.1
G Kyle Anderson (23, UCLA) 3.4 12.5 2.7
Rotation Reserves
C Dewayne Dedmon (27, USC) 5.1 16 5.2
F David Lee (33, Florida) 7.3 18.5 5.7
F Davis Bertans (24) 4.5 12.9 2.3
G Tony Parker (34) 10.1 13 3
G Manu Ginobli (39) 7.5 13.9 3
Leaders: Leonard (3rd PER, 4th Win Shares, 3rd Win Shares/48, 2nd +/1, 3rd VORP)
It's Kawhi's Spurs; Gasol also is 20+ PER, Parker/Ginobli come off the bench.
Nuggets: 57-25, 2nd NW Div, 5th Off, 11th Def
Lost Warriors West 1st Round 4-2
#159 overall seed
Coach: George Karl
Starters
C Kosta Koufos (23, Ohio St) 8 PPG 17.2 PER 6.5 Win Shares
F Kenneth Faried (23, Morehead St) 11.5 18.5 7.8
F Danilo Gallinari (24) 16.2 16.7 7.2
G Ty Lawson (25, North Carolina) 16.7 17.9 7.4
G Andre Iguodala (29, Arizona) 13 15.2 5.6
Rotation Reserves
C Javale McGee (25, Nevada) 9.1 20.5 4.9
F Wilson Chandler (25, DePaul) 13 16.6 3.9
F Corey Brewer (26, Florida) 12.1 14.7 3.9
G Andre Miller (36, Utah) 9.6 15.7 5.4
G Evan Fournier (20) 5.3 13.8 1
Leaders: McGee (3rd FG%)
Koufos (5th, Off Reb %)
The Nuggets don't have anyone close to Leonard; no double digit Win Shares, only 20+ PER is McGee off the bench.
Lineup Matchup:
C Gasol (Spurs)
F Aldridge (Spurs)
F Leonard (Spurs)
G Lawson (Nuggets)
G Iguodala (Nuggets)
Bench: Spurs
GAME ONE
1ST
9 MIN SPURS 6 NUGGETS 3
SPURS Mills, Aldridge, Leonard
NUGGETS Koufos(3)
6 MIN NUGGETS 9 SPURS 8
SPURS Aldridge
NUGGETS Koufos, Faried, Lawson
Just getting started in this one; Kosta Koufos has 5.
3 MIN NUGGETS 15 SPURS 11
SPURS Leonard(3)
NUGGETS Faried, Faried, Iguodala
1ST QTR SCORE: SPURS 23 NUGGETS 21
SPURS Ginobli(3) Leonard(1) Leonard(3) Leonard, Ginobli (3-buzzer)
NUGGETS Chandler, Miller, McGee
Kawhi scores 9 in the last 6; Manu hits from halfcourt at the buzzer and the Spurs go up a bucket.
2ND
9 MIN SPURS 27 NUGGETS 26
SPURS Dedmon, Ginobli
NUGGETS Miller, Iguodala(3)
6 MIN SPURS 35 NUGGETS 32
SPURS Lee, Anderson, Gasol, Aldridge
NUGGETS Chandler, Miller, McGee
Halfway through the 2nd, super tight game.
3 MIN SPURS 44 NUGGETS 37
SPURS Mills(3) Gasol, Lee, Leonard
NUGGETS Brewer(3) McGee
HALFTIME SCORE: SPURS 47 NUGGETS 39
SPURS Leonard(3)
NUGGETS Koufos (buzzer)
The Spurs had the best defense in '17 and they get stingy here, holding Denver to 39 in the first half and they lead by 8. 5 more for Leonard in the last 6.
3RD
9 MIN SPURS 51 NUGGETS 47
SPURS Dedmon, Lee
NUGGETS Koufos, Koufos, Iguodala, Faried
Nuggets cut the deficit in half in the first 3 minutes of the quarter.
6 MIN SPURS 58 NUGGETS 56
SPURS Leonard(3) Leonard, Aldridge
NUGGETS Fournier, Gallinari, Faried, Faried(3)
Faried's got 7 in the first 6 minutes and the Spurs lead is down to 2.
3 MIN SPURS 65 NUGGETS 63
SPURS Aldridge(3) Dedmon, Parker
NUGGETS Lawson, Faried, Iguodala
3RD QTR SCORE: SPURS 69 NUGGETS 67
SPURS Aldridge, Gasol
NUGGETS Koufos, Chandler
Dead even the last 6 and the Spurs are up 2 as we hit the final quarter of game one. Aldridge adds 5 more in the last 6.
4TH
11:43: DEN: Javale McGee gets the dish from Miller and hits a jumper from the line to tie the score.
11:30: SA: LaMarcus Aldridge hits a fadeaway from the right wing off the Mills assist. 71-69
11:22 DEN: Wilson Chandler drills a 3 from the wing and Denver takes the lead.
10:42: SA: The Spurs miss twice, but Aldridge comes away with the board, kicks out to Mills who swings to Manu Ginobli who buries a 3 from the ring wing and the Spurs lead 74-72
10:11: DEN: Denver misses, but Lawson comes away with it and Javale gets fouled. Hits 1.
9:57: SA: David Lee finds Kawhi for a short turnaround. 76-73
9:14: DEN: Both teams miss and Chandler hits a floater from the block. 76-75
9:01: SA: Mills lobs it to Lee for the slam. 78-75
8:50: DEN: In between 2013 and 2017 David Lee and Andre Iguodala were Warrior teammates, but now they trade baskets - Iguodala hits a high arching J from the corner to tie the score.
8:38: SA: Lee muscles his way into the lane, gets fouled, makes 1. 79-78
8:18: DEN: Another future Warrior - Javale McGee, drives from the baseline for the dunk that gives Denver the lead. 80-79
7:56: SA: Tony Parker finds Kyle Anderson for the turnaround from the block. 81-80
7:48: DEN: Koufos is fouled in the lane. Hits 1. Tied.
6:48: DEN: A couple unsuccessful trips leads to Ty Lawson scoring from the paint. 83-81
6:18: DEN: Quick turnover leads to a Koufos bucket and the foul. 86-81
5:49: SA: Parker from 3 feet. 86-83
5:41: DEN: Iguodala from the foul line. 88-83
5:17: DEN: The Spurs miss, Chandler gets fouled the other way and makes both. 90-83
4:40: SA: Dewayne Dedmon short J. 90-85
4:32: DEN: JaVale from 7 feet. 92-85
4:24: SA: Davis Bertans hits a big corner 3. 92-88
3:40: SA: Denver comes up short and Dedmon hits from short range. 92-90
3:28: DEN: Lawson's fouled, makes 1. 93-90
3:08: SA: Here's Kawhi from the wing - it's a triple and it's tied. 93-93
2:40 SA: Denver turns it over and Aldridge hits from the wing. 95-93
1:57: DEN: Both sides miss and then Faried hits from the wing. 95-95
1:42: SA: Kawhi from 17.
1:09: SA: Denver misses and Kawhi hits a huge 3 to bulge the lead to 5. 100-95
:46: DEN: Clutch 3 from Iguodala from the top. 100-98
:34: SA: Gasol from the paint. 102-98
Iguodala misses. Faried gets the board for Denver.
:13: DEN: Ty Lawson from 12. 102-100
:09: SA: Kawhi is fouled. Hits both. 104-100
Gallinari misses. Faried misses. It's over.
FINAL: SPURS 104 NUGGETS 100
Super competitive game one. Kawhi scores 7 in the last 2 minutes.
Leonard - 33 pts, 9 boards - Player of the Game
Aldridge - 17 pts, 8 boards
Gasol - 8 pts, 14 boards
Dedmon - 10 pts 6 boards
Ginobli - 11 pts
Koufos - 17 pts, 12 boards
Faried - 17 pts, 10 boards
McGee - 13 pts 9 boards
Chandler - 13 pts, 6 boards
GAME TWO
1ST
9 MIN SPURS 6 NUGGETS 5
SPURS Aldridge, Gasol, Aldridge
NUGGETS Gallinari(3) Gallinari
6 MIN SPURS 13 NUGGETS 9
SPURS Mills(3) Mills, Anderson
NUGGETS Iguodala, Koufos
Patty Mills gets 5 in the last 3 and the Spurs are up 4.
3 MIN SPURS 19 NUGGETS 17
SPURS Aldridge, Parker(1), Leonard(3)
NUGGETS Koufos(3) Lawson, Fournier(3)
1ST QTR SCORE: SPURS 30 NUGGETS 19
SPURS Dedmon, Leonard, Leonard, Bertans(3) Dedmon
NUGGETS McGee
San Antonio has a big 3 minutes and now lead by 11. 7 points in the last 6 for Kawhi.
2ND
9 MIN SPURS 32 NUGGETS 28
SPURS Anderson
NUGGETS Chandler, McGee, Gallinari(3) Gallinari
5 for Danillo and the Nuggets slice 7 from the lead.
6 MIN SPURS 42 NUGGETS 32
SPURS Leonard(3) Parker, Lee, Gasol
NUGGETS McGee, Koufos
Double digit lead again for the Spurs, 3 more for Kawhi.
3 MIN SPURS 49 NUGGETS 38
SPURS Parker, Ginobli, Leonard(3)
NUGGETS Brewer, McGee, Lawson
HALFTIME SCORE: SPURS 54 NUGGETS 42
SPURS Ginobli, Gasol(3)
NUGGETS Gallinari, McGee
It's a dozen now; the Spurs moving closer to locking down this series.
3RD
9 MIN SPURS 58 NUGGETS 46
SPURS Parker, Leonard
NUGGETS Gallinari, Lawson
6 MIN SPURS 68 NUGGETS 53
SPURS Mills(3) Mills, Leonard(3) Gasol
NUGGETS Chandler, Lawson(3), Fournier
5 more for Kawhi, it's a 15 point lead.
3 MIN SPURS 72 NUGGETS 55
SPURS Gasol, Lee
NUGGETS Koufos
3RD QTR SCORE: SPURS 81 NUGGETS 61
SPURS Leonard, Leonard, Gasol(3) Aldridge
NUGGETS McGee, McGee, Faried
Pau pumps in 5 in the last 6, the Spurs are about to advance.
4TH
9 MIN SPURS 88 NUGGETS 66
SPURS Lee, Leonard(3) Parker
NUGGETS Chandler, Miller, Miller(1)
6 MIN SPURS 95 NUGGETS 69
SPURS Ginobli(3) Leonard, Leonard
NUGGETS Iguodala(1) Iguodala
Great defensive effort by the Spurs.
3 MIN SPURS 100 NUGGETS 75
SPURS Leonard, Murray (3)
NUGGETS Gallinari, Gallinari(1) Koufos
FINAL SCORE: SPURS 102 NUGGETS 80
SPURS Green
NUGGETS Randolph(1) Miller(1) Hamilton(3)
After a tight game one, the Spurs kick their defense into another gear and cruise to a series sweep.
Leonard - 31 pts, 5 assists - Player of the Game
Gasol - 15 pts, 6 boards
Mills - 10 pts
One spot remains....
2. 2000 NBA CHAMPION LA LAKERS V. 15. 1991 PHOENIX SUNS
The number 2 seed in Region 2 - Shaq, Kobe and the World Champion Lakers. They look to advance here.
Lakers: 67-15, 1st Pac Div, 5th Off, 1st Def
d. Kings West First Round 3-2
d. Suns West Semis 4-1
d. Blazers West Finals 4-3
d. Pacers NBA Finals 4-2
#31 overall seed
Coach: Phil Jackson, Jerry West is the GM
Starters
C Shaquille O'Neal (27, LSU) 29.7 PPG 30.6 PER 18.6 Win Shares
F Robert Horry (29, Alabama) 5.7 14.3 5.7
F Glen Rice (32, Michigan) 15.9 16.2 9
G Ron Harper (36, Miami Oh) 7 12 4
G Kobe Bryant (21) 22.5 21.7 10.6
Rotation Reserves
C John Salley (35, Georgia Tech) 1.6 8.3 .5
F AC Green (36, Oregon St) 5 11.2 5
F Rick Fox (30, North Carolina) 6.5 11.7 3.2
G Derek Fisher (25, Little Rock) 6.3 9.6 3.1
G Brian Shaw (33, UC Santa Barbara) 4.1 10.9 2.1
Leaders: Shaq (2nd Rebounds, 3rd Blocks, 1st Pts, 1st FG%, 1st PPG, 2nd Reb/Gm, 3rd Blocks/Gm, 1st PER, 2nd Eff FG%, 2nd Def Rating, 1st Win Shares, 1st WS/48, 1st +/1, 1st VORP)
Horry (2nd Def Rating)
This is Shaq's year, 30 PER, 18 Win Shares; Kobe is 21/10 and everyone else are guys you know.
Suns: 55-27, 3rd Pac Div, 3rd Off, 8th Def
Lost Jazz West 1st Rnd, 3-1
#226 overall seed
Coach: Cotton Fitzsimmons, Paul Westphal is an assistant
Starters
C Mark West (30, Old Dominion) 7.7 PPG 14.6 PER 6.5 Win Shares
F Tom Chambers (31, Utah) 19.9 16.2 5.4
F Dan Majerle (25, Cen Michigan) 13.6 16.9 7.2
G Kevin Johnson (24, Cal) 22.2 23.7 12.7
G Jeff Hornacek (27, Iowa St) 16.9 17.8 9.7
Rotation Reserves
C Andrew Lang (24, Arkansas) 4.9 13.6 3.7
F Kurt Rambis (32, Santa Clara) 3.6 11.4 2.2
F Xavier McDaniel (27, Wichita St) 15.8 14.7 4.2
G Negele Knight (23, Dayton) 5.3 12.1 .6
G Cedric Ceballos (21, Cal St Fullerton) 8.2 17.8 1.3
Leaders: KJ (4th Assists, 4th Assists/Gm, 5th Asst %)
Hornacek (3rd 3s)
Kevin Johnson leads the Suns, 23 PER and a dozen Win Shares; longtime Laker Kurt Rambis coming off the bench.
Lineup Matchup:
C Shaq (Lakers)
F Chambers (Suns)
F Rice (Lakers)
G Johnson (Suns)
G Bryant (Lakers)
Bench: Lakers
GAME ONE
1ST
9 MIN SUNS 8 LAKERS 6
LAKERS Shaq, Kobe, Shaq
SUNS Chambers, KJ, Chambers, Chambers
6 MIN SUNS 16 LAKERS 15
LAKERS Harper, Rice(3) Horry, Kobe
SUNS Hornacek, Chambers, West, Chambers
Chambers bangs out 10 points in the first 6 minutes and the Suns hold the lead.
3 MIN LAKERS 24 SUNS 20
LAKERS Rice, Rice(3) Rice, Fox
SUNS Chambers, Chambers
1ST QTR SCORE: LAKERS 30 SUNS 28
LAKERS Shaq, Shaq, Fisher
SUNS Lang, Knight, Chambers, Knight (buzzer)
Tom Chambers has 16 in the first, but it's the Lakers who lead by a bucket.
2ND
9 MIN LAKERS 37 SUNS 34
LAKERS Fox(3) Green, Kobe
SUNS Lang, Ceballos, Majerle
6 MIN LAKERS 40 SUNS 40
LAKERS Salley, Shaw(1)
SUNS Ceballos, Ceballos, West
Suns are heavy dogs but putting up a big fight here; 6 for young Ceballos in the quarter.
3 MIN SUNS 46 LAKERS 45
LAKERS Horry, Shaw, Harper(1)
SUNS McDaniel, Hornacek, West
HALFTIME SCORE: SUNS 52 LAKERS 51
LAKERS Shaq, Green, Kobe,
SUNS Knight (1) McDaniel, Rambis(1) Hornacek (buzzer)
Well, look what we've got here - heavy underdogs Phoenix with a 1 point halftime lead after Hornacek hits an 18 footer at the buzzer.
3RD
9 MIN LAKERS 57 SUNS 57
LAKERS Shaq(1) Fisher, Shaw
SUNS Knight, Rambis (1) Hornacek
6 MIN SUNS 64 LAKERS 59
LAKERS Rice
SUNS KJ, Hornacek(3) Chambers
The 15th seeded Suns are up 5. Hornacek has 5 so far in the 3rd.
3 MIN SUNS 71 LAKERS 64
LAKERS Shaq, Kobe, Kobe(1)
SUNS KJ, West(1) West, Majerle (3)
3RD QTR SCORE: SUNS 81 LAKERS 71
LAKERS Kobe, Fox(3) Kobe
SUNS Hornacek, Chambers, KJ, Chambers, KJ
A real stunner through 3 in LA; the Suns are up 10 on the Lakers.
4TH
9 MIN SUNS 87 LAKERS 77
LAKERS Salley, Kobe, Kobe
SUNS West, KJ, Ceballos
6 MIN SUNS 95 LAKERS 86
LAKERS Kobe, Horry(3), Shaq, Kobe
SUNS Ceballos, Ceballos, Chambers, KJ
Kobe's got 8 in the first 6 minutes of the quarter, Lakers still trail bt 9 and Robert Horry has fouled out.
3 MIN SUNS 99 LAKERS 90
LAKERS Kobe, Fisher
SUNS KJ, West
Lakers haven't been able to make any kind of a run; a real stunner - 3 minutes left, can they get something going?
2:45: LA: Rice hits a midrange. 99-92
2:30: PHO: Hornacek midrange and the foul. 102-92
2:21: LA: Harper hits a 3 from the top, 102-95
1:44: LA: After a Suns miss, Rice hits a deep 3 and cuts the deficit to 4. 102-98
1:19: PHO: Turnovers, then Majerle is fouled. 104-98
1:08: LA: The Lakers go down low to Shaq, he powers his way home and draws the foul. 104-101
Lakers have cut it from 11 to 3.
Majerle misses. Harper rebound.
:49: LA: Shaq again, just bullying his way to the goal. 104-103
:42: PHO: KJ takes control, pulls up at the foul line and drills it. 106-103
One possession game.
They go down to Shaq again - but he misses.
Chambers gets the rebound.
:10: PHO: Chambers scoops it home - and that will do it.
:04 PHO: The Lakers miss, KJ is fouled and hits both.
FINAL: SUNS 110 LAKERS 103
The Suns go into heavily favored LA and they handle the Lakers. Now one game from an enormous upset.
Chambers - 26 pts, 13 boards - Player of the Game
Johnson - 20 pts, 6 assists
Hornacek - 16 pts, 5 assists, 5 boards
West - 13 pts, 8 boards
Ceballos - 12 pts
Shaq - 20 pts, 17 boards, 7 assists
Bryant - 25 pts, 8 boards, 8 assists
Rice - 17 pts
Green - 4 pts, 10 boards
GAME TWO
1ST
9 MIN LAKERS 6 SUNS 6
LAKERS Rice, Rice, Shaq
SUNS West, Hornacek, Hornacek
6 MIN SUNS 16 LAKERS 13
LAKERS Shaq(3) Shaq, Kobe
SUNS KJ, Majerle(3) Hornacek, West(3)
Some nervous stomachs at the Forum; Suns up early in a close out game. Hornacek has 6, Shaq 7.
3 MIN SUNS 22 LAKERS 21
LAKERS Shaq, Rice(3) Rice(3)
SUNS West, Lang, Majerle
1ST QTR SCORE: SUNS 30 LAKERS 26
LAKERS Fox(3) Green
SUNS Lang, Ceballos, Ceballos, Chambers
If you expected the World Champion Lakers to just come out and beat the brakes off of the Suns in game 2 - you aren't getting that; it's the Suns with the 4 point lead.
2ND
9 MIN SUNS 33 LAKERS 32
LAKERS Fisher, Shaw, Rice
SUNS Knight, Lang
6 MIN SUNS 36 LAKERS 36
LAKERS Kobe, Kobe
SUNS McDaniel, Ceballos(1)
Defenses settling in here in the second, every possesion a grind.
3 MIN SUNS 45 LAKERS 38
LAKERS Fisher
SUNS Ceballos, McDaniel, KJ(3) Majerle
HALFTIME SCORE: SUNS 53 LAKERS 44
LAKERS Kobe, Kobe, Shaq
SUNS Hornacek, McDaniel, Hornacek, McDaniel
Stunning - the Suns take game one and lead game 2 by 9; 15th seeds in Region 2 are 24 minutes from knocking off the 31st overall seed.
3RD
9 MIN SUNS 61 LAKERS 52
LAKERS Harper, Kobe, Shaq, Rice
SUNS KJ, McDaniel, Chambers, Hornacek,
6 MIN SUNS 71 LAKERS 61
LAKERS Kobe, Fisher, Shaq, Shaw
SUNS Chambers, Hornacek, Majerle, KJ, KJ
The lead has reached 13, it's now 10 - the Suns 18 minutes from advancing.
3 MIN SUNS 78 LAKERS 68
LAKERS Harper, Green (1) Fisher, Shaq
SUNS Hornacek, Lang, Chambers (3)
3RD QTR SCORE: SUNS 82 LAKERS 76
LAKERS Rice(3) Fox (3) Horry
SUNS Ceballos, West
Rice and Fox hit a couple 3s and the Lakers trail by 6 as we head to the 4th.
4TH
11:39: PHO: Hornacek opens with a 3 from the wing and the lead is 9.
11:16: LA: Rick Fox from the lane.
10:15: LA: The Suns turn it over - the Lakers miss, but Horry gets the rebound and is fouled, he hits them both and now its 85-80.
9:32: LA: Both sides miss, the Suns turn it over and it's Ron Harper, the veteran, scoring from the lane to cut it to 3.
9:19: PHO: Ceballos is fouled, makes both.
9:09: LA: Fisher misses but Shaq rams down the putback.
8:28: PHO: Both sides miss, Ceballos gets fouled and makes 1. 88-84
8:01: LA: Rice finds Fisher underneath, he loops it up and in.
7:12: PHO: Couple of failed possessions and Hornacek hits from the midrange
6:23: PHO: The Lakers miss on a couple of chances and Mark West hits a driving layup. 92-86
6:05: LA: Kobe iso ball - takes his man off the dribble and drops one.
5:51: PHO: KJ goes inside to West who puts it off glass. 94-88
5:27: PHO: Rice misses, KJ hits a long two the other way and now it's 8.
5:17: LA: Fisher from 14.
3:57: LA: Couple unsuccesful trips leads to Harper hitting a FT. 96-91
3:20: LA: Harper steals it, Kobe misses, but Shaq is there with the huge putback. 96-93
3:08: PHO: KJ baseline J.
2:29: LA: Both teams miss, then its Kobe, taking his man on one one and driving right by him for the layup. 98-95
2:19: PHO: Chambers midrange.
2:12: LA: Kobe pull up J.
1:58: PHO: Chambers midrange - Chambers and Kobe exchanging blows.
Kobe misses.
1:26: PHO: Hornacek hits the other way and now it's 7!
Harper misses. Rice misses.
:46: PHO: KJ makes 2 foul shots. it's 9.
:39: LA: Shaq.
:38: PHO: Chambers 2 FT.
:29 LA: Shaq
:25: PHO: KJ 2 FT
Hornacek steals the ball. And it's all over. Pandemonium on the floor - the Suns have knocked out the Lakers.
Johnson - 19 pts, 11 assists, 6 boards - Player of the Game
Hornacek 23 pts
Chambers - 15 pts, 8 boards
West 13 pts, 8 boards
McDaniel 10 pts, 9 boards
Ceballos 12 pts
The Region 2 All Star Team doesn't change, Kawhi takes the tough beat.
C: Abdul-Jabbar ('73 Bucks)
F: Durant ('16 Thunder)
F: Malone ('92 Jazz)
G Harden ('19 Rockets)
G Jordan ('96 Bulls)
