NBA Playoffs Results
Western Conference
Los Angeles Lakers 4 – Denver Nuggets 0
New Orleans Hornets 4 – Dallas Mavericks 1
San Antonio Spurs 4 – Phoenix Suns 1
Utah Jazz 4 – Houston Rockets 2
Eastern Conference
Boston Celtics 3 – Atlanta Hawks 3
Detroit Pistons 4 – Philadelphia 76ers 2
Orlando Magic 4 – Toronto Raptors 1
Cleveland Cavaliers 4 – Washington Wizards 2
Cleveland Cavaliers 10 5 – Washington Wizards 88
LeBron James compiled 27 points, 13 rebounds and 13 assists for his third career playoff triple-double, all the while helping slow Caron Butler at the defensive end, and the Cavaliers beat the Wizards 105-88 to close the contentious series. Wally Szczerbiak scored a career playoff-best 26 points, Daniel Gibson added 22, and they combined to make 10 of Cleveland’s 11 3-pointers.
Caron Butler scored only 18 points and grabbed 9 rebounds as he was hounded by James the whole game, Antawn Jamison led Washington with 23 points and 15 rebounds.
The Cavs, which reached the NBA Finals a year ago, now faces Boston or Atlanta. The Celtics host the Hawks in Game 7, and whoever wins will have to try to do something Washington certainly could not: stop James.
Boston Celtics 100 – Atlanta Hawks 103
Refusing to let go of their first trip to the playoffs in nine years, the Hawks forced an improbable deciding game with the Celtics, the Hawks held on for a 103-100 victory.
Marvin Williams led the Hawks with 18 points despite missing much of the fourth quarter with a sprained left knee. Mike Bibby had 17 points, Al Horford 16, Josh Smith finished with 11 points, and Joe Johnson scored 15 points, also scoring the lone and winning three-points basket for the Hawks. Off the bench, Josh Childress had 15 points and six rebounds, while Zaza Pachulia contributed nine points and six rebounds.
Kevin Garnett scored 22 points for the Celtics and Ray Allen added 20 points, but Pierce — the other member of Boston’s Big Three — fouled out on a disputed call in the fourth quarter.
Houston Rockets 91 – Utah Jazz 113
The Jazz beat the Rockets 113-91 on Friday night to win the series 4-2 and avoid having to play a Game 7 on the road. The Jazz did that a year ago against the Rockets and didn’t want to push their luck again in Texas.
Deron Williams scored 13 of his 25 points in the third period, making three of four 3-pointers as the Jazz outscored the Rockets 27-11, he also had 9 assists. Mehmet Okur had 19 points and 13 rebounds, Carlos Boozer added 15 points and 10 boards, and Andrei Kirilenko scored 11 points. Ronnie Brewer had 13 points and Matt Harpring and Kyle Korver scored 10 apiece for the Jazz.
Tracy McGrady led the Rockets with 40 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists, but was not enough to beat the Jazz. Luis Scola was the only other Rockets player in double figures with 15 points. The Rockets lost point guard Rafer Alston with a sprained ankle late in the second quarter and the offense never recovered.
By ending the series, the Jazz earned a trip to Los Angeles for Game 1 against the Lakers.
Source: ESPN: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/
