In a game that both teams took somewhat seriously, Joe Johnson scored 28 points and Josh Smith (18 PTS, 10 REB, 5 AST) made the most of his 31 minutes. Blake Griffin (36 PTS, 8 REB) and Chris Paul (34 PTS, 8 AST, 2 STL) were stellar in defeat, though CP3 is doubtful tonight with a mild groin strain. Jeff Teague (21) played well for the Hawks and Marvin Williams (11) returned to his sixth-man role. PHO @ UTA: The Jazz
So we finally come to the conclusion of the regular season. In terms of who’s making the playoffs, anyway. With only one spot – the eighth seed of the Western Conference – still left for grabs, the Utah Jazz sealed the deal on Tuesday night by defeating the Phoenix Suns for their fourth consecutive victory, on national television, and clinched the final available seed. They are not done either, as they still have a chance to move up to the seventh seed, albeit
With the wild race for a playoff spot in the Western Conference reaching its final days, the Phoenix Suns and the Utah Jazz have yet to settle the score to claim the final seed. Fittingly in terms of timeliness, they will match up against against each other tonight in the most important game of the season for both teams to determine which team will make the playoffs or go home. The Suns (33-31) look to sweep the season series for the second
NEWS The 1977-78 NBA scoring race was so close — San Antonio’s George Gervin (27.21 ppg) edged Denver’s David Thompson (27.15 ppg) — that if you turn to the Official NBA Guide for the points leaders for that season, you’ll discover Gervin’s and Thompson’s averages extend two decimal points rather the traditional one, necessitated by the fact that the league’s closest scoring race ever was determined by a miniscule .06 ppg. That contest has entered the realm of the legendary based
NEW YORK — LeBron James of Miami and the Utah Jazz’s Al Jefferson today were named the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week for games played Monday, April 16, through Sunday, April 22. James helped Miami to a 4-1 week, averaging 31.0 points on 58 percent shooting, while grabbing 7.5 rebounds and dishing out 5.5 assists per game. He did not play in Miami’s only loss of the week, an 86-84 defeat against Washington. He scored at least 25
What an effort by Orlando, to force overtime on the road in a must-win game for Utah. The Jazz are going more often to their big lineup: Al Jefferson (21 PTS, 10 REB, 3 BLK) was a force at C, Paul Millsap played 46 minutes at both PF and SF (18 PTS, 9 REB) and Derrick Favors got 36 minutes off the bench, adding 16 points and 11 boards. Glen Davis (17 PTS, 13 REB, 4 STL) and Jameer Nelson
If you are like me and a fan of the TV show The Walking Dead, you were thoroughly intrigued by the recent season finale, which showed a strange hooded female character who had gained control of two formerly relentless zombies, rendering them harmless annoyances by severing their arms and placing them on leashes. In a way, those zombies could have been the Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers, a pair of dead teams walking into what should otherwise be a very alive
It took awhile, but the Nuggets finally clinched the playoffs for the ninth consecutive season. But just because they are in, that doesn’t mean George Karl is about to rest his players. Quite the contrary actually; Following the win, Karl said “We have three games left, and we are going to try to win all three of them. There won’t be any rest going on here.” It only makes sense. The Nuggets still have a chance to catch the Mavericks (who lost