Heat Blow Out Bobcats To Complete SweepMuch like their first, the Bobcats' second playoff appearance ended without a win. Charlotte was embarrassed on their home court as it was an absolute drubbing from start to finish. The big three alone outscored the entire Bobcats team as Pekovic and Bargnani continued to be the only players able to get going.
Miami wlll advance to the conference semis, where they will face Andre Iguodala, Josh Smith, Al Horford, Joe Johnson and the Atlanta Hawks, who are coming off a sweep of their own against Orlando. Charlotte meanwhile faces a challenging off-season, in which they'll have to find a way to improve from the middle of the pack.
Heat 114
Bobcats 86Heat win series 4-0.D. Wade: 38 pts, 5 rebs, 5 asts, 15-22 FG; L. James: 26 pts, 8 asts, 5 rebs, C. Bosh: 23 pts, 8 rebs, 11-12 FG
N. Pekovic: 21 pts, 7 rebs, 5-5 FG, 11-12 FT A. Bargnani: 22 pts, 9 rebs, 8-16 FG, 5-5 FT
First Round ResultsMagic 69 @ Hawks 101 (ATL wins 4-0)
Atlanta advances to second round, will face Miami.Pistons 108 @ Wizards 87 (DET leads 3-1)
Knicks 95 @ Pacers 108 (Series tied 2-2)
Thunder 95 @ Blazers 86 (Series tied 2-2)
Grizzlies 106 @ Warriors 99 (MEM leads 3-1)
Lakers 84 @ Jazz 101 (UTA leads 3-1)
Rockets 99 @ Mavericks 111 (Series tied 2-2)
Wizards 94 @ Pistons 105 (DET wins series 4-1)
Detroit advances to second round.Pacers 100 @ Knicks 116 (NY leads series 3-2)
Blazers 79 @ Thunder 93 (OKC leads series 3-2)
Warriors 121 @ Grizzlies 102 (MEM leads 3-2)
Jazz 82 @ Lakers 108 (UTA leads 3-2)
Mavericks 89 @ Rockets 112 (HOU leads 3-2)
Knicks 104 @ Pacers 95 (NY wins series 4-2)
New York advances to second round, will face Detroit.Thunder 75 @ Blazers 99 (Series tied 3-3)
Lakers 97 @ Jazz 84 (Series tied 3-3)
Blazers 93 @ Thunder 111 (OKC wins 4-3)
Oklahoma City advances to second round.Warriors 105 @ Grizzlies 114 [OT] (MEM wins 4-3)
Memphis advances to second round, will face Oklahoma City.Jazz 92 @ Lakers 85 (UTA wins 4-3)
Utah advances to second round.Mavericks 89 @ Rockets 106 (HOU wins 4-3)
Houston advances to second round, will face Utah.Eastern Conference | Western Conference
vs. | vs.
vs. | vs. Bobcats Playoff Averages:Andrea Bargnani: 25 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 2.5 TOPG, .475% FG, .286% 3pt, 19.9 PER
Nikola Pekovic: 12.3 PPG, 7 RPG, .800% FG, .895% FT, 21.7 MPG, .864% TS
Kemba Walker: 10.7 PPG, 6.3 APG, .389% FG
Wilson Chandler: 8 PPG, 5.7 RPG, .316% FG
Damian Lillard: 6.8 PPG, 3.5 APG, 2.3 RPG, 17 MPG
Gerald Henderson: 6.8 PPG, 2.5 APG, 2 RPG, .455% FG
Luol Deng: 6 PPG, 4.2 RPG, .300% FG, 0.7 PER
Andre Miller: 4.7 PPG, 2.5 APG, 2.3 RPG, .545% FG
Leo Lai Wins 2013-14 Most Improved Player Award Golden State Warriors guard was named the NBA's most improved player for the 2014-15 season. Lai largely rode the pine as a rookie out of Hong Kong, but earned a starting spot this season. Lai seized the opportunity and tripled his scoring average, and helped the Warriors make the playoffs for the first time in seven seasons.
2012-13: 6.6 PPG, .497% FG
2013-14: 19.8 PPG, 2.9 APG, 2.8 RPG, .450% FG
Round 1 NLSC'er Averages:F Andrew Watson (Rockets) | 2nd year
7 games, 20.1 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 5.7 APG, .522% TS, 23.9 PERWatson has upped his usage and helped weather the storm at home to get the Rockets past the resurgent Mavs to the second round. Facing the Jazz provides Watson and the Rockets a great opportunity to get to the conference finals.
F Da'Vonte Hughes (Jazz) | Rookie
7 games, 15 PPG, 7 RPG, .543% TS, 15.5 PERAfter a slow start to the season, Hughes has quickly become a key cog in the Utah Jazz. He led the team in scoring in the playoffs so far, and saved his best performance for the game 7 upset in L.A.
G Axel Gomez (Jazz) | 2nd year
7 games, 6.6 PPG, 2 RPG, 1.9 APG, 11.9 MPG, 21.4 PER, .497% TSNow on his second team, Gomez is still struggling to get decent minutes. He provides a spark off the bench but is regulated to just a quarter of the game. Expect he and/or Darren Collison to be moved this summer.
G Leo Lai (Warriors) | 2nd year
7 games, 16.9 PPG, 3.4 APG, 2.4 RPGLai's Warriors were eliminated in a heartbreaking 7 game series. It was nonetheless the team's most promising season in years, and Lai won the Most Improved Player award this season.
F Justine Crewhead (Pistons) | 2nd year
5 games, 8 PPG, 11.8 MPGCrewhead struggled to get playing time as the team's addition of Granger has continued to hinder his development. On the bright side, the Pistons destroyed the Wizards and could be a dark horse contender.
G Julian Martin (Mavericks) | 2nd year
7 games, 12 PPG, 6.6 APG, 3 RPG, 25 MPGThe Mavs are out but their effort to push Houston to 7 games was commendable. Martin did a solid job at point as Kidd's replacement of sorts. His performance should warrant a starting role next year as well.
G Vinson Duroy & G Janis Kalnins (Magic) | 2nd year
Duroy: 4 games, 6.8 PPG, 7.8 MPG; Kalnins: 4 games: 3.8 PPG, 1.7 APG, 9.5 MPGThe Hawks got even more revenge for the Magic's 2010 beatdown of them by sweeping them as the 5 seed. They continued to share minutes backing up Jameer Nelson and the result has been erratic play.
NOW OPENING FOR 2015 DRAFT CLASS!!!