5. 2015 SAN ANTONIO SPURS v. 7. 1987 EAST CHAMP BOSTON CELTICS
Spurs: 55-27, 3rd SW Div, 7th Off, 2nd Def
Lost Clips West 1st Rnd 4-3
#72 overall seed
d. '08 Suns (2-0 Duncan 2 PotG)
d. '69 Celtics (2-0 Splitter/Duncan)
d. '82 Lakers (2-1 Kawhi/Duncan)
Coach: Gregg Popovich
Starters
C Tiago Splitter 30 8.2 PPG 18.9 PER 4 WS 1.1
F Tim Duncan 38-Wake 13.9 22.6 9.6 4
F Kawhi Leonard 23-San Diego St 16.5 22 8.6 4.1 VORP
G Tony Parker 32 14.2 15.9 4.1 .3
G Danny Green 27-UNC 11.7 16.5 7.8 3.8
Rotation Reserves
C Aron Baynes 28- Wash St 6.6 15.9 3.9 .1
F Boris Diaw 32 8.7 12.7 3.6 .8
F Marco Belinelli 28 9.2 12.4 2.9 .4
G Cory Joseph 23-Texas 6.8 15.5 4.5 1.2
G Manu Ginobli 37 10.5 16.2 3.7 1.5
Leaders: Kawhi: 5th Steals, 1st Steals/Gm, 2nd Def +/- Kawhi 1st Def Rtng, 2nd Steal %
Duncan: 4th Def, 4th Def +/-, 3rd Def Rtng, 3rd Team All NBA
The Spurs got bounced in the first round of the playoffs in '15, but they're the 5th seed in Region 8 with home court advantage here. Young Kawhi and Old Duncan both hit 20 PER. The '17 Spurs have already won their region and the '15 and '16 teams are about to compete in Regional Finals against some 80s legends. 38 year old Duncan made the All Star team and was All Defense second team. 23 year old Kawhi was all Defense 1st team. Just one loss so far; to the NBA Champ Lakers in LA
Celtics: 59-23, 1st Atl Div, 3rd Off, 9th Def
d. Bulls East 1st Rnd 3-0
d. Bucks East Semis 4-3
d. Pistons East Finals 4-3
Lost Lakers NBA Finals 4-2
#104 overall seed
d. '75 Bullets (2-0 Bird 2 PotG)
d. '02 Lakers (2-1 Bird 2 PotG)
d. '19 Bucks (2-0 McHale/Bird)
Coach: KC Jones
Starters
C Robert Parish 33-Centenary 17.5 PPG 17.7 PER 9.2 WS 2.4 VORP
F Kevin McHale 29-Minnesota 26.1 24 14.8 5.5
F Larry Bird 30-Indiana St 28.1 26.4 15.2 8.6
G Dennis Johnson 32-Pepperdine 13.4 13.2 5.2 1.2
G Danny Ainge 27-BYU 14.8 15.2 6.7 2
Rotation Reserves
C Bill Walton 34-UCLA 2.8 5.6 -.1 -.1
F Fred Roberts 26-BYU 5.5 10.7 1.8 -.4
F Darren Daye 26-UCLA 3.9 9.6 .6 -.2
G Sam Vincent 23-Mich St 3.7 12.8 .5 0
G Jerry Sichting 30-Purdue 5.7 9.4 2.3 -.1
Leaders: Bird 4th PPG, 1st FT%, 3rd PER, 3rd WS, 3rd WS/48, 2nd +/-, 2nd VORP, 3rd Trip-Doub, 1st Team All NBA
McHale 1st FG%, 2nd Eff FG%, 3rd TS%, 5th PER, 4th WS, 4th WS/48, 2nd Off Rtng, 1st Team All NBA
Ainge 2nd FT%, 3rd 3Pt%
30 year old Bird, 29 year old McHale both 1st Team All NBA, Bird's top 3 in the Big 5 Cats, McHale also is mid 20s PER, mid teens WS. Just one loss in the tournament for these Celtics; this was the Len Bias season. McHale and 32 year old DJ were 1st Team All Defense. Bird/McHale and 33 year old Parish all were named to the All Star game.
Matchup:
C Parish (Celtics)
F McHale (Celtics)
F Bird (Celtics)
G Push
G Green (Spurs)
Bench: Spurs
The '17 Spurs are already onto the next round - the '15 Spurs, which add Duncan to that '17 mix, look to join them - to do so, they have the beat the last Bird/McHale team left in the field.
Gm 1: San Antonio: AT&T Center: Announcers: Bill Schoening/Bill Land
1Qtr
9 Celtics 7 Spurs 2
Spurs Green
Celtics Parish(3) McHale, Ainge
6 Celtics 14 Spurs 12
Spurs Splitter, Baynes(3) Green, Green(3)
Celtics McHale(3) Parish, Parish
Region 8 Final - either the Spurs become the first organization with 2 teams to reach the Sweet 16 or the Celtics have their first Regional Champs.
3 Celtics 19 Spurs 18
Spurs Baynes, Parker, Kawhi
Celtics Ainge, Bird(3)
1Score Spurs 24 Celtics 19
Spurs Belinelli(3) Diaw(1) Duncan
Celtics
Celtic offense v. Spurs defense and the Spurs get off first.
2Qtr
9 Spurs 36 Celtics 27
Spurs Belinelli(3) Duncan(3) Joseph, Kawhi, Kawhi
Celtics Roberts, Parish, Roberts, Vincent
6 Spurs 41 Celtics 34
Spurs Joseph(3) Parker
Celtics Ainge, Parish, Walton(1) mcHale
Those Spurs triples starting to take their toll.
3 Spurs 50 Celtics 40
Spurs Joseph, Ginobli(3) Parker, Parker
Celtics McHale, McHale, Bird
HScore Spurs 54 Celtics 45
Spurs Baynes, Kawhi
Celtics Mchale(3) McHale
11 for McHale at the half, but the Spurs solidly up.
3Qtr
9 Spurs 63 Celtics 53
Spurs Baynes, Kawhi, Duncan, Parker(3)
Celtics Bird, Bird, Walton, McHale
6 Celtics 66 Spurs 65
Spurs Ginobli
Celtics McHale, McHale, McHale, Ainge(3) Ainge, Bird
Boston goes on a run, 21 pts in 6 minutes. 8 from McHale now with 19.
3 Spurs 72 Celtics 68
Spurs Kawhi, Ginobli, Kawhi(3)
Celtics McHale
3Score Spurs 80 Celtics 70
Spurs Ginobli, Splitter, Parker, Diaw
Celtics McHale
McHale/Bird v. Duncan/Kawhi - Spurs have had the better of it.
4Qtr
9 Spurs 86 Celtics 74
Spurs Splitter(3) Belinelli(3)
Celtics Parish, Vincent
6 Spurs 89 Celtics 80
Spurs Parker, Splitter(1)
Celtics Parish, Bird, Parish
That 3 ball looks like it's ending game one.
3 Spurs 93 Celtics 84
Spurs Splitter, Splitter
Celtics Sichting, DJ
FScore Spurs 98 Celtics 94
Spurs Kawhi, Green(1) Parker
Celtics McHale, DJ(1) Roberts, Bird(3)
That 4 point margin is the closest the Celtics got in the 4th as Bird hits an end game 3. McHale is PotG in the loss; Duncan has a huge blocks total.
Duncan: 7 pts/13 boards/10 blocks
Kawhi: 17 pts/9 boards/4 steals
Splitter: 12 pts/6 boards
Parker: 17 pts/6 assists
McHale: 30 pts/11 boards-Player of the Game
Bird: 16 pts/9 boards/5 assists
Parish: 19 pts/15 boards
Ainge: 11 pts/6 assists/5 boards
Gm 2: Boston: Boston Garden: Johnny Most/Tommy Heinsohn
1Qtr
9 Celtics 6 Spurs 6
Celtics Parish, Mchale, Bird
Spurs Kawhi, Green, Duncan
6 Celtics 13 Spurs 13
Celtics Ainge(3) Bird, Parish
Spurs Duncan, Green(3) Duncan
The Spurs really handled the Celtics in San Antonio - one more win and they take Region 8 to go with their Region 2 Title.
3 Spurs 21 Celtics 17
Celtics Bird, Parish
Spurs Splitter, Joseph, Ginobli, Ginobli
1Score Spurs 29 Celtics 21
Celtics Bird, Parish
Spurs Kawhi, Kawhi, Joseph, Ginobli
Modern basketball - specifically here, the Spurs, the '17 team is already in, the '16 team is in the Region 9 Final and here's the '15 team driving toward the finish.
2Qtr
9 Spurs 36 Celtics 25
Celtics Bird, Walton
Spurs Baynes, Belinelli, Belinelli(3)
6 Spurs 38 Celtics 28
Celtics Bird, Roberts(1)
Spurs Green
Spurs defense just carrying the day.
3 Spurs 43 Celtics 39
Celtics Roberts, Ainge(3) Ainge, McHale, DJ
Spurs Kawhi, Ginobli(3)
HScore Celtics 49 Spurs 49
Celtics Bird, Bird, McHale, Bird, DJ
Spurs Splitter, Kawhi, Green
Boston goes on a run and ties the score - Bird was really held in check by Kawhi in game one, but he scores 10 in the second here.
3Qtr
9 Spurs 53 Celtics 51
Celtics Bird
Spurs Baynes, Splitter
6 Spurs 59 Celtics 56
Celtics Parish, Mchale, Bird(1)
Spurs Ginobli, Duncan, Diaw
It's a game - can the leprechauns sneak Boston over the top?
3 Celtics 66 Spurs 65
Celtics DJ, Parish, McHale, McHale, Bird
Spurs Parker, Parker, Kawhi
3Score Celtics 72 Spurs 69
Celtics Parish, Vincent, Mchale
Spurs Baynes, Parker
8 in the 3rd for McHale and Boston has its biggest lead.
4Qtr
9 Celtics 76 Spurs 76
Celtics DJ, McHale
Spurs Kawhi, Duncan(3) Splitter
6 Celtics 90 Spurs 82
Celtics McHale, DJ, Bird(3) McHale(3) McHale, Bird
Spurs Splitter, Joseph, Baynes
They are going wild in the Garden; 9 more for McHale - he hit Duncan and the Spurs for 30 in game 1 and has scored 17 in the second half today.
3 Celtics 94 Spurs 85
Celtics Sichting, Parish(1) Daye(1)
Spurs Mills(3)
FScore Celtics 103 Spurs 93
Celtics Ainge, Ainge, Bird, DJ(1) Bird
Spurs Duncan, Duncan, Parker, Green(3)
The Spurs never get closer than 6 down the stretch; Boston wins at home to force the showdown
Bird: 32 pts/9 boards-Player of the Game
McHale: 23 pts/9 boards
Parish: 15 pts/15 boards
Ainge: 12 pts
DJ: 11 pts/7 assists
Duncan: 13 pts/9 boards
Kawhi: 14 pts/13 boards
Splitter: 10 pts/5 boards
Green: 12 pts/6 boards
Ginobli: 11 pts
Gm 3: San Antonio: AT&T Center: Announcers: Bill Schoening/Johnny Most
1Qtr
9 Spurs 9 Celtics 5
Spurs Green(3) Kawhi, Green, Green
Celtics McHale, Bird(3)
6 Spurs 13 Celtics 5
Spurs Parker, Splitter
Celtics
Rough start for Boston - region 8 ends here.
3 Spurs 19 Celtics 11
Spurs Parker, Kawhi, Duncan
Celtics Bird, McHale, DJ
1Score Spurs 28 Celtics 17
Spurs Duncan, Joseph, Splitter. Kawhi(3)
Celtics McHale, DJ, McHale
The Celtics just fought super hard and won game 2 - but the modern Spurs, with Kawhi and Duncan and the 3 ball, just proving too much for an 80s team.
2Qtr
9 Spurs 40 Celtics 25
Spurs Diaw(1) Joseph, Diaw, Baynes, Ginobli, Belinelli(3)
Celtics Walton, Daye, Roberts, Sichting
6 Spurs 42 Celtics 32
Spurs Ginobli
Celtics Sitchting, Vincent, Bird(3)
Boston is keeping it from being a blowout, but they need a big run soon.
3 Spurs 52 Celtics 38
Spurs Parker, Splitter, Duncan, Duncan, Green
Celtics McHale, Bird, Mchale
HScore Spurs 67 Celtics 44
Spurs Ginobli, Diaw(3) Splitter, Duncan, Duncan, Parker, Kawhi
Celtics Vincent, Ainge, Vincent
It's done - the Spurs have ended this early and we now have 2 Kawhi Leonard teams in the Sweet 16 with a shot a third right around the corner.
3Qtr
9 Spurs 75 Celtics 50
Spurs Kawhi, Baynes, Diaw, Ginobli
Celtics McHale, McHale, Ainge
6 Spurs 81 Celtics 63
Spurs Splitter, Splitter, Kawhi
Celtics Ainge(3) Bird, Parish, Ainge, McHale, Bird
3 Spurs 86 Celtics 75
Spurs Splitter, Parker, Splitter(1)
Celtics Roberts, Bird, Bird(3) Vincent, McHale(3)
3Score Spurs 96 Celtics 77
Spurs Parker, Parker(3) Duncan, Green(3)
Celtics DJ
Boston cut that 25 pt deficit to 11 - but that's as close as they got.
4Qtr
9 Spurs 104 Celtics 81
Spurs Ginobli(3) Ginobli(3) Kawhi
Celtics Parish, Ainge
6 Spurs 109 Celtics 85
Spurs Splitter, Ginobli(3)
Celtics Vincent, Parish
3 Spurs 113 Celtics 91
Spurs Ayres, Anderson
Celtics DJ, Walton, Thirdkill(3)
FScore Spurs 113 Celtics 96
Spurs
Celtics Wedman, Henry, henry
19/11/8 for Bird in the loss; he becomes the first member of a losing team to be Region MVP
Splitter: 17 pts/15 boards-Player of the Game
Kawhi: 15 pts/5 boards
Duncan: 14 pts/9 boards/6 assists
Parker: 15 pts/5 assists
Green: 12 pts/5 boards
Ginobli: 17 pts/5 assists
All Region:
C Shaq ('02 Lakers-3 PotG)
F Duncan ('15 Spurs-4 PotG)
F Bird ('87 Celtics-6 PotG)-MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
G Magic ('82 Lakers-2 PotG)
G Jordan ('91 Bulls-2 PotG)
