NBA: Chicago needs 3 OTs to take Nets to 3-1

They were playing some ball in the NBA on Saturday… It started off with the basketball marathon in Chicago, with the Bulls and Brooklyn Nets having so much fun they decided to play a bit more, three overtime periods more. The official time for the game was three hours and 57 minutes. In the more traditional contests, the Grizzlies knotted up their series with the LA Clippers at two games each, the Atlanta Hawks earned their first win in their series with Indiana, and the OKC Thunder improved to 3-0 in their series with Houston.

Chicago Bulls – Brooklyn Nets, 142:134
With just 2:53 remaining in the contest the Nets held a 14-point lead and the United Center was already starting to empty out, but in an arena known for amazing comebacks, the Bulls found a way to make a game out of it.

“We got a stop, and got the ball to Nate. Then we got a stop, and got the ball to Nate. Then we got a stop, and got the ball to Nate.”
— Bulls’ Carlos Boozer, explaining how Chicago pulled off the remarkable comeback.

The ‘Nate’ Boozer was referring to was Bulls’ guard Nate Robinson, who found every way he could to knock down 12 straight points in the closing minutes and then finished the comeback with a sweet dish to Boozer who tied the score at 109 with 55 seconds to play. Brooklyn was finally able to put up some points when Brook Lopez connected on a pair of free throws. On the return trip Luol Deng launched a three-ball that missed, but was snagged off the glass by Joakim Noah. His first put-back attempt missed everything, but he got the rebound again and finally got it to fall through the hoop to tie things back up at 111. The Nets had another opportunity for the win, but Deron Williams missed on a jumper, Gerald Wallace got the offensive rebound, but his put-back was rejected by Jimmy Butler, sending the game into OT.

They came to entertain and entertain they did… The first overtime was numerous lead changes that came down to the last two seconds. Robinson had the ball near the mid-court circle running the clock down and with five seconds remaining he drove to the right and put up an off-balance running jumper that banked in for a 121:119 lead and 2.0 seconds remaining. The Nets took a timeout to talk their plans over, but more importantly advance the ball to the front court. Guard Joe Johnson, starting on the opposite baseline, curled over the top, got the in-bounds pass, drove the left side of the lane and dropped in a floater as the lights went off to send the game to OT2, 121:121.

Compared to the first extra five, the second was a sleeper with each team only scoring six points and nothing in the last 48.7 seconds (the time that a Lopez free throw tied them at 127, he missed the second). The key storyline from OT2? Robinson committed his sixth personal on an offensive push-off. He and his 34 points and 4 assists would watch the rest of the contest in his warm-ups.

Right before the third overtime started, a mic’ed up Tom Thibodeau, Bulls head coach, was heard saying that they had played enough, it was time to go home. OK, no, not really, but someone said something to someone, because the Bulls came out for the new period looking to put the contest in the books. Noah got things started with a jumper just 17 seconds into the frame, followed by a Butler lay-up and a Taj Gibson Jumper to get up by five 135:130, mid-way through. Lopez sank a lay-up with 21.2 seconds left to cut the lead to three, but after Boozer was fouled on the in-bounds, he split a pair of singles, missing the second and Nazr Mohammed grabbed the rebound and put it back in to extend the Bull’s lead to six. Johnson missed a triple with 11.2 to play that was rebounded by Mohammed ending the Nets chances of a win.

Robinson was game-high with 34 points for Chicago. Boozer added 21 points and 8 rebounds, Kirk Hinrich had a double/double with 18 points and 14 assists, Butler dropped in 16, Noah had a double/double with 15 points and 13 rebounds, Mohammed added 15, and Gibson tallied 10.

Williams was high-man for the Nets with his double/double of 32 points and 10 assists. Lopez also had a double/double with 26 points and 11 assists. Johnson added 22 points, Wallace contributed 17 points and 9 rebounds, Reggie Evans had a double/double with 15 points and 13 rebounds, and Andray Blatche scored 13.

The series will return to Brooklyn on Monday with Chicago up 3-1.

Memphis Grizzlies – Los Angeles Clippers, 104:83
After Game 1 of the Grizzlies-Clipper series, there were no doubt some that were thinking that the 21-point margin equated to a 4-0 or 4-1 series for the Clippers. When they got out of Game 2 with a win, the probabilities of a sweep were strong, that is until they jumped on planes and headed to Memphis. The Grizzlies took Game 3 by 12 and with their 104:83 win from Saturday, they’ve added a rout of their own to the mix and tied the series at two games apiece. They’ll all shift West for Game 5 on Tues, and will come back to Memphis on Friday for Game 6. Should they split the next two, Game 7 is scheduled for LA on Sunday, May 5.

This was another game dominated by the bigs in Memphis as Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph combined for 48 of the Memphis 104 points with 24 each. Gasol showed his versatility in Game 4 dropping in shots from virtually all spots on the court. Neither of the big boys ventured out to that forbidden forest beyond the arc though as that’s the land of the little people and they don’t like it when the giants visit. Randolph has no problem staying in the paint, he’s at home there and loves to bang around with anyone willing to go toe-to-toe with him. The big Grizzlies outrebounded the Clippers 45-28 and scored 22 off second-chances, compared to just two for LA.

They manhandled us. If you’re going to get beat by a team that’s more talented, that’s understandable. But to be punked, there’s no excuse for that, and that’s what’s happening right now. Those are two big, talented big guys they got, and we’ve gotta do a better job of helping our bigs get them off the glass. If our bigs box them out, we gotta come in as guards and rebound, including myself. The series is going to be determined on the glass, and they’ve gotten the best of us the last two times. –Matt Barnes, Clippers

The Grizzlies opened the contest with a 33:25 first quarter score, but the Clippers came back in the second to take a one point lead into the half, 46:47, as Chris Paul beat the buzzer with a lay-up to give LA the lead. The difference in the third was a 5:0 run that Memphis had at the end of the quarter to go from 62-all to 67:62. They exchanged baskets to the end, but the Grizzlies held on to a four-point advantage heading into the fourth.

Memphis took control of the contest at the opening of the fourth quarter with a 19:5 scoring run that gave them an 18-point lead with five and a half minutes to play. The rest of the way was trading baskets, giving the Grizzlies a 104:83 win and a 2-2 series.

Gasol and Randolph led all scorers with 24, while Gasol also added 13 rebounds for a double/double and Randolph hauled in 9. Mike Conley and Tayshaun Prince added 15 each, with Conley picking up his own double/double with 13 assists. Tony Allen and Quincy Pondexter dropped in 10 each.

Blake Griffin and Chris Paul led the Clippers with 19 apiece, Griffin complete his double/double with 10 rebounds and Paul added 6 assists. Jamal Crawford scored 12.

Atlanta Hawks – Indiana Pacers, 90:69
In the first two games in their best-of-seven series with the Pacers, the Hawks have lost by an average of 16 each game (17 and 15). On Saturday, the Hawks looked to put those games in the past and correct the problems they’ve been having. Whether it was the home-town crowd or the reality of getting beaten up in the previous two contests, something worked and the Hawks pounded the Pacers from the start, winning Game 3 90:69 to pull within a game of the Pacers, who lead the series 2-1. Game 4 will be played in Atlanta on Monday, Game 5 will return to Indianapolis on Wednesday.

The first three minutes looked like it was going to be a repeat of the other two games as the Pacers got up 1:8 on a jumper and a dunk by David West and a floater by Paul George. On the next possession, Johan Petro, a newly inserted starter at the 5 spot, threw down a slam that would start a 32:6 run that lasted into the second quarter. At the end of the first 12 the Hawks led 27:14. It didn’t end there though, the Hawks kept on the pressure, found the cutters, dropped in the shots and played solid defense, forcing Indiana to shoot a dismal 6 of 36 (16.6%) in the first half.

I think we were ready emotionally, but I think [the Hawks] just played with more desperation than we did… when you don’t screen with physicality… don’t execute your sets, and let the other team take your airspace, it’s going to leave you with a poor shooting night and a lot of turnovers. –Pacers coach Frank Vogel

At the half the Hawks found themselves up 54:30.

In the third frame the Pacers cut the lead to 20, before the Hawks extended it to 28, settling with 26 at the end of the third 12, 75:49.

The best the Pacers could do in the fourth is cut the lead to 18, but there was no threat for the Hawks as they countered every score and cruised to the win.

Al Horford moved from center to a power forward with the injection of Petro into the lineup and the move resulted in Horford scoring a double/double, leading everyone in both points and rebounds with a 26/16 performance. Josh Smith added 15 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals, and Jeff Teague contributed 13 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists.

West led the Pacers with 18, George added 16 points and 9 rebounds, and Gerald Green dropped in 10 points.

Houston Rockets – Oklahoma City Thunder, 101:104

Oklahoma City came in up 2-0 in their best-of-seven series with the Rockets as they shifted venue to the Toyota Center in Houston. Both teams had to deal with injuries at the guard position as OKC’s All-Star point, Russell Westbrook, had orthoscopic surgery recently on a torn meniscus in his right knee, he’ll miss the rest of the post-season, and Houston’s Jeremy Lin hasn’t fully recovered from the chest injury he suffered in Game 2 and was pulled in the second half after struggling in the first.

A key stat in this contest was the free throw line, where the Thunder shined shooting 28 of 30 (93.3%), while Houston struggled a bit shooting 17 of 25 (68%). In a close game, winning the free throw contest 28-17 is critical. Kevin Durant was the weak link for the Thunder at the line, only connecting on 11 of 13 (84.6%), while the rest of his team mates were perfect. Durant made up for his poor free throw shooting performance by contributing 41 points, 14 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals.

There was a bit of drama in the first quarter as Kendrick Perkins was whistled for an offensive foul 30 seconds into the game for setting an illegal pick on Patrick Beverly. It was Beverly who went for a steal in Game 2 as Westbrook brought the ball across mid-court and headed towards the bench to call a time out. Beverly ran into Westbrook and as is now known, caused a season-ending injury. On the baseball field they throw at guys, in basketball you send your 6’10”, 270lb power forward out to throw a shoulder disguised as a pick to send a message…

The Thunder exploded in the first half for 39 points in the first quarter, building a 20-point lead. They continued with the pace getting up by 26 three minutes into the second 12. From there Houston took over and cut the lead to 17 at the end of the half behind 10 from Francisco Garcia and eight from Chandler Parsons. OKC led 66:49 at the end of the half.

Coming out of the dressing rooms in the second half the Rockets brought new life that translated into a 27:14 third quarter and brought them to within four at the end of the quarter, 76:80.

Houston completed the come back with just under six minutes to play when Chandler connected on a baseline triple to knot the score at 91. Durant hit a pair of singles, then Carlos Delfino knocked down a three-ball to give the Rockets their first lead since there were eight minutes left in the first quarter. Serge Ibaka scored the next four points to put OKC back up by three, then Harden hit a pair of free throws and Garcia connected from downtown to put the Rockets up two, 99:97 with 45.2 to play. Durant got one of the kindest bounces on a shot ever as a three-ball he launched hit the back of the rim, bounce higher than the top of 24-second clock, hit the front of the rim and fell through, to put the Thunder up for good. At the other end Harden drove the lane and instead of shooting the ball, threw a pass that was picked off with 29.9 to play. Derek Fisher was fouled and dropped in his two charity tosses to put the Thunder up three, 102:99. Harden did what he should have the prior possession by slicing through the defense for a lay up to pull to within one with 8.3 seconds. Reggie Jackson was fouled with 8.0 on the clock and connected on both to give OKC a three-point lead, 104:101. Delfino got an open triple from the right side on the baseline, but came up short giving the Thunder their third game in the series.

Durant’s 41/14 performance led the way for OKC, while Ibaka contributed a double/double of his own going 17 points and 11 rebounds. Jackson scored 14, and Martin dropped in 12.

Harden was high-man for the Rockets with 30 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals. Parsons added 21 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists, Garcia dropped in 18 points, and Delfino contributed 11 points and 4 assists.

Game 4 will be played on Monday in Houston, Game 5, if necessary will return to Oklahoma City on Wednesday.