Thunder survive late rally to score win over stuttering Lakers

OKLAHOMA CITY — In a reversal of roles, Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers know they're the predators trying to track down Kevin Durant's Oklahoma City Thunder.

They have some work to do.

Durant had 36 points, Russell Westbrook scored 27 of his 33 in the first half to stake Oklahoma City to a commanding lead and the Thunder beat the short-handed Lakers 114-108 Friday night.

"They're a team that everybody likes. As a young team coming up, you always want to beat the best," Westbrook said. "I think that's one of the things that motivates us."

Bryant had 35 points for Los Angeles, which trailed by as many as 19 before rallying to get within four in the final minute.

Dwight Howard added 23 points and 18 rebounds for the Lakers, who were eliminated by the Thunder in five games in last season's Western Conference semifinals. Howard and Steve Nash were part of an offseason overhaul to try and catch up to the Thunder.

Instead, the Lakers are 9-11 and focusing on small gains that give them the belief they'll eventually turn it around.

"It's 82 games. This team has just gotten together," Howard said. "It's not like we're going to get together and start winning right away. . . . We're learning how to play together. We're getting better. This is not on anybody's timetable but ours."

Grizzlies 96, Hornets 89

In New Orleans, Rudy Gay tied a season high with 28 points and the Grizzlies maintained their NBA-best winning percentage with their second-straight victory.

76ers 95, Celtics 94 (OT)

In Philadelphia, Evan Turner had 26 points and 10 rebounds and Thaddeus Young added 17 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Sixers past Boston in overtime.

Nuggets 92, Pacers 89

In Indianapolis, Andre Miller scored eight of his 15 points during a late 10-0 spurt.

Bulls 108, Pistons 104

In Auburn Hills, Michigan, Joakim Noah had career highs of 30 points and 23 rebounds, to help Chicago beat Detroit for the 16th straight time.

Spurs 114, Rockets 92

In San Antonio, Tony Parker had 17 points and seven assists, and the Spurs never trailed in a win over Houston.

Warriors 109, Nets 102

In New York, David Lee had 30 points and 15 rebounds, Stephen Curry scored 28 points, and Golden State gave coach Mark Jackson a winning return to Brooklyn.

Timberwolves 91, Cavaliers 73

In Minneapolis, Kevin Love had 36 points and 13 rebounds to lead Minnesota past Cleveland.

Luke Ridnour had 12 points, seven assists and five rebounds for the Timberwolves, and Andrei Kirilenko had eight points, seven rebounds and six assists after missing the previous four games with back spasms.

Hawks 104, Wizards 95

In Atlanta, Josh Smith had 23 points and 15 rebounds, Al Horford also posted a double-double and the Hawks beat Washington to keep the Wizards winless on the road.

Bucks 108, Bobcats 93

In Milwaukee, Ersan Ilyasova scored a season-high 21 points and Marquis Daniels had season highs with 18 points and six rebounds.

Jazz 131, Raptors 99

In Salt Lake City, Paul Millsap scored 20 points, Enes Kanter had 18 in his first career start and Utah hit 13 3-pointers.

Kings 91, Magic 82

In Sacramento, DeMarcus Cousins had 17 points and 14 rebounds and reserve guard Isaiah Thomas also scored 17.

View the original article here

Howard to miss start of Lakers camp

LOS ANGELES — Dwight Howard won't finish his rehabilitation from back surgery in time for the start of the Los Angeles Lakers' training camp or their first preseason game next month.

The Lakers provided an update on the newly acquired center's condition on their website Thursday night, confirming their long-anticipated decision to take it easy in Howard's return from spinal surgery.

The team doesn't intend to announce a timetable for Howard's recovery, but says he won't participate in the start of training camp on Oct. 2, or the preseason opener in Fresno five days later.

The six-time All-Star has said he hopes to be ready for the start of the regular season Oct. 30, but the team isn't speculating.

Howard recently began working with the Lakers' training staff on his recovery from surgery last April repairing a herniated disc and doing additional cleanup. Howard's personal trainer is working alongside the Lakers' staff, and the center has experienced no setbacks.

View the original article here

Thunder take 2-0 lead with late run on Lakers

OKLAHOMA CITY — Even down late, the Oklahoma City Thunder are showing that they are never out.

Soft touch: Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant shoot over Los Angeles' Matt Barnes in the third quarter of Game 2 on Wednesday. The Thunder beat the Lakers 77-75 to take a 2-0 lead in the series. AP

Kevin Durant scored 22 points and rattled in the go-ahead basket on a baseline runner with 18 seconds left, and Oklahoma City scored the final nine points to rally for a 77-75 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals Wednesday night.

The Thunder trailed by seven with 2 minutes left before surging back with a series of defensive stops by its stars to claw back from that deficit in the closing stages of a game for the second time this postseason. Oklahoma City was also seven down with 2? minutes left in Game 1 against defending NBA champion Dallas in the first round.

"They won't quit. That's not in their DNA," Thunder coach Scott Brooks said. "They're not wired that way and if they were, they wouldn't be here. We're not going to win every game but we're going to fight to the last second of the game and we did that tonight.

"If we would have gotten down on ourselves with 2 minutes to go, we would have lost by 12 and we would go to L.A. 1-1."

Instead, the Thunder take a 2-0 lead into Game 3 on Friday night at Staples Center.

Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum scored 20 points apiece for Los Angeles, which came up empty on its last six possessions after Bynum's hook shot made it 75-68 with 2:09 remaining.

After struggling throughout the second half and missing 20 of their first 27 shots, Oklahoma City suddenly came alive after Brooks called timeout following Bynum's basket that gave the Lakers their largest lead of the game.

James Harden drove for a layup before Durant used his height advantage to reach up and tip away a pass from Bryant, who he was guarding. Durant ran out for a right-handed dunk at the other end before Russell Westbrook forced another turnover by aggressively challenging an outlet pass to Bryant along the sideline.

Harden made the next stop, blocking Bryant's jumper on the next Lakers possession and getting a layup in transition off it to cut the deficit to one in the final minute.

Bryant couldn't connect again, this time on a 3-pointer, to give the Thunder the ball back with the chance to take the lead and Durant was able to make it happen.

"I wish it was my magical words. All I told the guys was, 'We're down 7. You don't have to play perfect basketball but we better come pretty close,'" Brooks said.

Steve Blake missed an open 3-pointer from the right side with about 5 seconds left after Metta World Peace couldn't get the ball to Bryant on the inbounds play.

Oklahoma City has won all nine of its series after leading 2-0, dating back to the franchise's days in Seattle.

Celtics 107, 76ers 91

In Philadelphia, Kevin Garnett scored 27 points, grabbed 13 rebounds, and used a dominant second quarter to help Boston beat the 76ers and take a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Whistled for a costly illegal pick late in a Game 2 loss, Garnett crushed Philadelphia early and never let it think about a fourth-quarter rally.

Garnett scored 13 of Boston's 32 points in the second quarter and the Celtics became the first team to win by double digits. Game 1 and Game 2 were each decided by one point.

Rajon Rondo had 23 points and 14 assists. Paul Pierce, playing with a banged-up knee, had 24 points and 12 rebounds.

Game 4 is set for Friday in Philadelphia.

Thaddeus Young scored 22 points and Jrue Holiday had 15 for the 76ers. Lou Williams and Jodie Meeks each scored 13. Starters Elton Brand, Spencer Hawes and Evan Turner combined for only 11 points.

Philadelphia hadn't hosted a second-round game since 2003, when coach Larry Brown and All-Star Allen Iverson ruled the town. Julius Erving walked out to a roaring ovation when he presented the game ball.

View the original article here

Bynum blocks 10 shots as Lakers open series with rout

Get that out of here: Lakers Andrew Bynum (rear left) and Pau Gasol attempt to block a shot by Nuggets guard Ty Lawson on Sunday. The Lakers won 103-88. AP

LOS ANGELES — A day before Andrew Bynum produced one of the most eye-popping defensive performances in NBA playoff history, he spoke up to his Lakers teammates about the importance of getting off to a good start in their championship quest.

With an NBA record-tying 10 blocked shots, the 213-cm All-Star center put the Lakers on the good foot — and the Denver Nuggets on their heels.

Kobe Bryant scored 31 points, Bynum posted the Lakers' first playoff triple-double in 21 years, and Los Angeles thoroughly controlled the tempo in a playoff-opening 103-88 victory Sunday.

Despite a few well-chronicled fluctuations in his motivation and discipline this year, the seventh-year pro had perfect focus in Game 1, capping his utter dominance in the paint with his record-tying block of Timofey Mozgov with 3:02 to play. Bynum also had 10 points and 13 rebounds before checking out to an ovation.

"It's the only way really possible for me to get a triple-double — through blocked shots," Bynum said of his first career triple-double. "If I play good D, we'll win games. I think I'm just going to be as aggressive as I can defensively to contest their shots. . . . You've got to win Game 1. Statistics are against the teams that lose Game 1, especially on the home court."

Just how dominant were Bynum and his tall teammates against the NBA's highest-scoring team? Bynum blocked 11 percent of the Nuggets' 90 shots, and with 15 total blocks, the Lakers swatted one of every six Denver shots, separating the Nuggets from any hope of a late rally.

While Bynum had the Lakers' first playoff triple-double since Magic Johnson's in the 1991 NBA Finals, fellow big man Pau Gasol added 13 points, eight rebounds and eight assists for the playoff-tested Lakers, who never trailed while forcing Denver to play Los Angeles' preferred half-court style.

Bynum blocked eight shots in the first three quarters before tying Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's franchise-record nine blocks in the fourth. He eventually equaled the NBA record set by Utah's Mark Eaton on April 26, 1985, and matched by Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon on April 29, 1990.

Hawks 83, Celtics 74

In Atlanta, Josh Smith scored 22 points and grabbed 18 rebounds, leading the Hawks over Boston in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference playoffs, the final minute turning ugly when Celtics star Rajon Rondo was ejected for bumping an official.

The Hawks, who led by as many as 19 in the first half, were clinging to a four-point lead when Rondo lost his cool with 41 seconds remaining — and may have cost himself a chance to play Game 2 Tuesday night.

Rondo scored 20 points and dished out 11 assists. Kevin Garnett bounced back from a miserable start to put up 20 points and 11 rebounds. Smith carried the Hawks on a night when Joe Johnson managed just 11 points on 3-of-15 shooting.

Spurs 106, Jazz 91

In San Antonio, Tony Parker scored 28 points and the Spurs beat Utah to win their playoff opener for the first time in four years.

Tim Duncan added 17 points and 11 rebounds, helping the Spurs dodge another early playoff letdown. Despite boasting the No. 1 seed again, San Antonio hadn't won a Game 1 in its last six postseason series — including the one that began a shocking first-round ouster last year.

Paul Millsap led Utah with 20 points. The Jazz hung close until the third, when the NBA's top 3-point shooting team began burying Utah with three in a two-minute burst to finish the quarter.

Clippers 99, Grizzlies 98

In Memphis, Chris Paul hit a pair of free throws with 23.7 seconds left, and the Clippers rallied from 27 down to beat the Grizzlies in the opening game of the Western Conference series.

Rudy Gay missed a 15-footer with 0.9 seconds left after the Grizzlies squandered a lead they held for the first 47 minutes.

The Clippers lost Caron Butler to a broken left hand. But Nick Young scored 19 points off the bench, including three 3-pointers in the midst of the Clippers' 26-1 run. Paul finished with 14 points. Blake Griffin had 17 and Butler 12 before leaving the game.

View the original article here

Kobe, Bynum make sure Lakers keep Grizzlies at arm's length

Step up the pace: Indiana guard Dahntay Jones dunks during the Pacers' 92-75 win over the Trail Blazers on Tuesday. AP

MEMPHIS — It took two overtime periods, but the Los Angeles Lakers eventually made sure the Memphis Grizzlies stayed behind them in the Western Conference standings.

Andrew Bynum had a season-high 37 points and 16 rebounds, Kobe Bryant scored 22 of his 34 points after halftime, and the Lakers beat Memphis 116-111 in double overtime on Tuesday night.

The Lakers entered the game a half-game ahead of Memphis, which had won 12 of 15, for the third spot in the West.

"They're a young team, they're hot, and they were coming for our spot," Bynum said. "We had to defend it, and we did that."

Pau Gasol added 14 points and eight assists for the Lakers, who won their third straight. Bynum and Bryant accounted for the Lakers' last 10 points after Steve Blake connected on a 3-pointer to open the second extra period.

Bynum went 15 of 18 from the field. Bryant said Bynum's performance was indicative of a change the Lakers have made in their offensive approach, running more things through the 7-foot (213-cm) center.

"The big games he had at the start of the season, he was having good games, but he wasn't being featured," Bryant said. "This is different. We're featuring him, and we're looking for him to make plays out of double-teams, and make plays for others, not just himself."

Magic 104, Heat 98 (OT)

In Orlando, Dwight Howard had 24 points and 25 rebounds, and Jameer Nelson scored 25 points, including 12 in the fourth quarter and overtime.

Nuggets 118, Hawks 117 (OT)

In Denver, Nene scored 22 points, Ty Lawson had 21 points and seven assists and the Nuggets rallied to beat Atlanta in overtime.

Rockets 104, Thunder 103

In Oklahoma City, Courtney Lee and rookie Chandler Parsons each scored 21 points, Patrick Patterson blocked Serge Ibaka's point-blank putback attempt in the final 2 seconds, and Houston charged back from an 11-point deficit in the last 3 minutes.

Raptors 96, Cavaliers 88

In Cleveland, Jerryd Bayless scored 20 points, Andrea Bargnani added 17 and Toronto beat the Cavs for the third time this season.

Pacers 92, Trail Blazers 75

In Indianapolis, Lou Amundson scored a career-high 21 points to help the Pacers snap a four-game losing streak.

Mavericks 107, Wizards 98

In Dallas, Dirk Nowtizki scored 27 points, Jason Terry had 24 and the Mavericks got a much-needed victory.

Warriors 115, Kings 89

In Sacramento, Nate Robinson, David Lee and Brandon Rush all scored 17 points.

MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Bucks agreed to trade Andrew Bogut and Stephen Jackson to the Golden State Warriors, a person with direct knowledge of the deal said Tuesday night.

The Bucks will receive guard Monta Ellis, forward Ekpe Udoh and center Kwame Brown, the person confirmed to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported the deal on its website Tuesday night.

The trade represents a parting of ways between the Bucks and Bogut, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2005 draft who has struggled with injuries. It also allows the Bucks to rid themselves of Jackson, who had fallen out of favor with coach Scott Skiles and now gets to rejoin his former team.

The players won't be separated from their respective former teams for very long, as the Warriors host the Bucks on Friday night.

View the original article here

Ailing LeBron too much for Lakers

MIAMI — LeBron James was sitting at his locker after the game, a bottle of cold medicine at his side.

Hard to the hoop: Miami's LeBron James drives past Matt Barnes of the Lakers on Thursday night. The Heat won 98-87. AP

The Los Angeles Lakers would be hard-pressed to believe it was needed.

James shook off flu-like symptoms to put up 31 points, eight rebounds and eight assists — hours after being told to stay away from the team's shootaround practice after calling in with a cough and chest congestion — and the Miami Heat topped the Lakers 98-87 on Thursday night.

Chris Bosh scored 15 for Miami, which won its second straight after a three-game slide.

"A chest cold can get to you at times," James said. "But I felt like I could help the team."

Shane Battier scored 11 and led the way defensively on Kobe Bryant. Mario Chalmers finished with 10 for Miami, which led by as many as 23 points and improved to 5-1 at home.

Miami moved to 5-0 this season without Dwyane Wade, who missed his second straight game with a sprained right ankle. He missed three games earlier this season with left foot soreness.

No problem — James simply did his thing, yet again.

"We don't take his talent for granted, nor do we take Dwyane's talent or Chris' talent," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "They're special players and they can rise to the occasion."

Pau Gasol scored a season-high 26 for the Lakers, Bryant scored 24 — 14 of them coming in the fourth quarter — and Andrew Bynum finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds.

"We tried to adjust to some things," said Bryant, who had a four-game stretch of scoring at least 40 points earlier this month followed by a two-game total of 38 since. "We might want to go back to some of the things that we were doing a few weeks ago in terms of me being on some spots on the floor and things where I'm most comfortable."

Mavs 94, Jazz 91

In Salt Lake City, Shawn Marion scored a season-high 22 points, including a late layup, as Dallas beat Utah to snap a two-game losing streak and cool off the league's hottest team.

The Mavs (9-7) were coming off back-to-back last-possession losses to the Lakers and Clippers.

The Jazz (9-5) lost at home for only the second time all season, and second time in 10 games overall.

Utah led by three early in the fourth after a dunk by C.J. Miles. The game was tied at 87 before Jason Terry hit a 3-pointer, and Marion a layup.

Al Jefferson led the Jazz with 22 points.

Rockets 90, Hornets 88 (OT)

In Houston, Kevin Martin scored 27 of his 32 points in the first half, Samuel Dalembert grabbed a season-high 17 rebounds and the Rockets survived one of the worst fourth quarters in team history.

Jason Smith scored 17 points and Jarrett Jack and Marco Bellinelli added 15 points apiece for New Orleans, which has lost 12 of 13.

The Rockets led by as many as 14, but went 3 for 21 from the field and tied a franchise-record low by scoring only 7 points in the final quarter.

View the original article here

Andrews gets shot with Lakers

STAFF — Former Niigata Albirex BB power forward Zach Andrews was named to the Los Angeles Lakers training camp roster, the Sacramento (California) Bee reported on Friday.

Andrews, a 206-cm Bradley University product, made eight starts for the Lakers' NBA Development League affiliate, the Los Angeles D-Fenders, and averaged 11.1 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists since the D-League season began in late November. The D-Fenders are coached by Eric Musselman, the ex-Sacramento Kings bench boss.

The 26-year-old Andrews averaged 11.1 points, 10.8 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 42 games in 2010-11 for the Albirex, according to asia-basket.com.

In an interview with the Sac Bee's Ailene Voisin in October, Andrews summed up his desire to reach the NBA and his passion for basketball this way:

"No one would dive for more loose balls or hustle more than I would. . . . I really hope I just get the opportunity. Just an opportunity."

View the original article here

Road ahead won't be easy for Lakers

NEW YORK — Oh, but it's weird and it's wonderful; here we are, forsythia is on sale for 50 percent off, and we're on the threshold of talking about "next season" regarding the Lakers instead of "next series."

How deep is the predicament the Lakers are in?

Jerry Buss is turning over in his tanning bed.

Uma Thurman has asked Quentin Tarantino for first dibs to play Jeanie Buss in the Mavericks' version of "Kill Phil, Vol.1."

And Phil Jackson isn't smirking and trying to be clever at the post-game news conference.

Remember how the Zen Hen used to act before the Mavs battened down the first three games?

Remember how the Zen Hen conducted himself when coaching 11 NBA teams to championships with a twinkle?

His posture was above the squalor, willful and unruffled. Larry Brown wryly declared victory following a 76ers loss in the 2001 Finals for making Jackson cross his knees.

During Friday night's 98-92 setback, he got so disturbed he convened a Spanish Inquisition even before the Lakers became eyesores right before our very eyes, berating and chest-tapping Pau Gasol during a timeout.

Topping that aberrant behavior, at the post-game news conference Father Superior was barely sarcastic (he couldn't resist regarding Gasol's shot selection) or snotty and didn't try to be cute or and a know-it-all.

And while Jackson almost appeared human, Kobe Bryant envisions achieving the inhuman. He believed (at least out loud) the Lakers could revise history (no NBA team has ever successfully escaped being buried in such a Chilean miner hole) and win the series.

What else is Kobe going to say?

Nobody expects him to go away quietly. Nobody expects him to lie down. At the same time, the Spurs still hope to exploit home-court advantage should they meet the Lakers for the Western Conference crown.

I say, let's get serious, drive off L.A.'s lot in a DeLorean and see what's in store for 2011-12.

Unless Jackson has something against going out a loser, he's done coaching . . . at least for his current employer. That leaves presumptive nominee Brian Shaw with essentially the same cast of contract characters . . . save for Derrick Caracter, who's in the lineup to be the next spokesman for IHOP.

Here's the thing. They aren't getting any tighter — sources say Kobe and Gasol have had a complete falling out over something unrelated to basketball — or younger. And we all know how Hollywood feels about aging gracefully.

Kobe turns 33 over the summer, Derek Fisher turns 37 Aug. 9, Matt Barnes is 31, Ron Artest is (chronologically) 31. So are Lamar Odom and Steve Blake.

Don't get me wrong . . . 31 is a nice number if you're business is scooping ice cream, not if you're trying to scoop up titles.

Andrew Bynum won't turn 24 until right around Opening Night (let's make "lockout" a four-letter word for the purposes of this discussion), but remember . . . save for a complete sophomore season, he's never played more than 65 games at one sitting; 54 this past regular season.

So, unless Jerry West can stage another raid on Orlando and appropriate a studly savior (senseless considering Bynum's improvement) or Mitch Kupchak again can cash in on southern hospitality (Chris Paul) this is the fate of the Purple Feign going forward.

Then, there's the whole issue of trust, which has reared its ugly head any number of times. Here's the thing . . . Kobe, after taking 29 shots in Game 1, attempted just 36 in the next two combined.

Sure, the Mavs' defense has been geared to slowing him down, but there have been countless possessions where Bryant has been trying to get the understudies involved.

The result?

L.A. averaged just 89 points in the first three games while seeming more and more out of sorts.

This just in: Don Cornelius has jumped off the Gasol Train.

* * *

First Hondo, now Rondo.

In the 1973 Eastern Conference finals, Game 3, John Havlicek was chasing Bill Bradley through a maze of picks and valleys when somehow he ran smack into a brutal Dave DeBusschere screen in front of the Celtics bench.

His shoulder got badly separated.

Boston lost 98-91 to go down 2-1. Then, minus Havlicek, the Celtics led by 16 on Easter Sunday at Madison Square Garden, only to lose in double OT.

"They were totally jobbed by Jack Madden," Bill Feinberg vividly recalled last night when the former Celtics employee was asked about the Hondo's injury.

Boston lost in seven games after trailing 3-1. The Celtics won 68 games that season, never losing more than two in a row.

Havlicek played heroically. His arm was in a sling tied to his body and he had to shoot left-handed.

"I sat right behind the Celtics players," Feinberg said. "When Havlicek ran into DeBusschere, it was vicious, sounding like a loud snap!"

Rajon Rondo's fall (pull down by Dwayne Wade) may not have been as noisy as that but his twisted (dislocated) left elbow resulting from trying to break the impact was far more unsightly.

Two replays were more than I could take. I looked away from the TV during the recurrent showings on Saturday.

The sickest part came later after team doctor Brian McKeon had popped Rondo's elbow back in place and he took the court at the start of the fourth quarter.

Even if the Celtics desperately needed their irreplaceable floor leader, which was not the case (up 15), why would management and coach Doc Rivers permit an invaluable asset to compete with one serviceable arm?

Peter Vecsey covers the NBA for the New York Post.

View the original article here

Mavs eliminate Lakers, sweep Jackson to retirement

Break out the brooms: Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki takes a shot against the Lakers on Sunday in Dallas. The Mavericks routed the Lakers 122-86 to sweep their playoff series. AP PHOTO

DALLAS — Phil Jackson walked off the court with a tight smile, shaking hands and accepting congratulations like he has after so many series-ending playoff games.

Never like this, though.

His team didn't win; they were crushed. Swept, too.

And he wasn't just heading to the offseason — he's calling it a career, ending the most successful run by any coach in NBA history.

Jason Terry and the Dallas Mavericks ended Jackson's tenure, and the Lakers' reign as two-time champions, with a 122-86 victory Sunday. After two tight finishes and another game that was relatively close, the Mavs turned this one into a rout in the second quarter.

With Terry, who had a game-high 32 points, leading the way, Dallas hit a barrage of 3-pointers to go ahead by 24 at halftime. When he made 3s on consecutive possessions early in the third quarter, Los Angeles knew it wasn't going to come back in this game or the series.

Things got ugly early in the fourth, with vicious, frustration-fueled cheap shots by Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum getting them ejected 45 seconds apart. But at game's end, Dallas coaches, players and team owner Mark Cuban lined up to bid farewell to the Zen Master.

"It's been a wonderful run," Jackson said.

The 65-year-old Jackson has retired before, but he insists it's for good this time. While he goes out with the sour taste of his first sweep in 21 postseasons, and his second-widest margin of defeat, it can't override all the sweet days.

A Hall of Famer since 2007, he leaves with a record 11 titles, and only 10 series losses. Take away Red Auerbach, who won nine championships, and Jackson won more titles than any two coaches combined.

Jackson won six championships with Michael Jordan, three with Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal, and the last two with Bryant leading the way.

He had to be talked into coming back this year. The lure of chasing a 12th title, bundled neatly as four three-peats, did it, but he knew it would be tough with a team worn down by three straight years of reaching the finals.

"(That) puts a lot of strain on the basketball club from all angles: personalities, spiritually, physically, emotionally, and getting charged up for game after game and assault after assault when you go in and play a team," Jackson said. "It was a challenge bigger than we could beat this year."

Atlanta AP

Josh Smith seemed to do it all. He attacked the basket. He defended. He rebounded. He made brilliant passes. He even won a crucial jump ball against a taller player.

There was only one thing Smith didn't do — park himself on the outside, putting up shots beyond his range.

The Atlanta Hawks were just fine with that.

Smith answered his critics with a huge game — 23 points, 16 rebounds and eight assists — and fill-in Jeff Teague came up with the Derrick Rose-like plays down the stretch to lead the Hawks past the Chicago Bulls 100-88 Sunday night, evening the Eastern Conference semifinals at two games apiece.

The Hawks snapped a nine-game home losing streak in the second round, their misery dating to a May 13, 1996, win against Orlando.

Smith is frequently criticized by Atlanta fans for his inconsistent play. He heard nothing but cheers in this one, largely staying away from the jumpers, dominating on the inside and finding the open man.

View the original article here

Lakers target Paul, get Game 2 victory

LOS ANGELES — Kobe Bryant barely made a ripple on offense for the Los Angeles Lakers. He was too busy ensuring Chris Paul didn't make another huge splash that could have put the Lakers in a cavernous playoff hole.

Heading for the lane: Kobe Bryant of the Lakers drives past New Orleans' Trevor Ariza in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series on Wednesday night. The Lakers won 87-78 to tie the series 1-1. AP PHOTO

Andrew Bynum had 17 points and 11 rebounds, Lamar Odom scored 16 points, and the Lakers survived quiet offensive games from their two biggest stars to even their first-round playoff series with an 87-78 victory over the New Orleans Hornets in Game 2 on Wednesday night.

Ron Artest added 15 points as the two-time defending champions rebounded from a stunning nine-point loss in the series opener with Bryant leading an improved defensive effort against Paul, who still had 20 points and nine assists after shredding Los Angeles' defense in Game 1.

"We stayed in front of him for the most part," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "He made some big plays for them . . . but I think we did a better job being attentive to him, and that's as good as it gets right now."

Los Angeles spent the past two days scheming ways to prevent a repeat of Paul's 33-point, 14-assist dissection of their defense in Game 1. Bryant's snarling intensity was obvious when he took his turn guarding Paul, jumping on him with full-court pressure and even battling him for inconsequential inbound passes midway through the game.

"We had a good rhythm today," Bryant said. "We found something we can hang our hats on in terms of the intensity and the aggression that we played with. Going up to New Orleans, I think that environment will bring it out."

Game 3 is Friday night in New Orleans.

Trevor Ariza scored 22 points for the Hornets, who committed 16 turnovers after making just three in Game 1.

Spurs 93, Grizzlies 87

In San Antonio, Manu Ginobili scored 17 points in the All-Star's return after missing Game 1 with an elbow sprain, and the Spurs beat Memphis to even the first-round series. 1-1.

Ginobili wore a thick sleeve to protect his right elbow but played as physically reckless as usual.

Sam Young had 17 points for the Grizzlies, who opened the series with their first franchise playoff win.

Tim Duncan had 16 points and 10 rebounds for San Antonio. George Hill and Richard Jefferson added 16 apiece.

Zach Randolph scored 11 points on 5-of-14 shooting and Marc Gasol had 12 points, and 17 rebounds for Memphis.

Thunder 106, Nuggets 89

In Oklahoma City, Kevin Durant scored 23 points, Russell Westbrook added 21 and the Thunder built a big first-half lead on the way to a victory over Denver in Game 2 on Wednesday.

The first-round playoff series shifts to Denver on Saturday night with Oklahoma City leading 2-0.

Ty Lawson scored 20 points to lead the Nuggets.

View the original article here