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Revision as of 13:55, 28 May 2012
 | This article's lead section may be too long. (May 2012) |
The 2012 NBA Playoffs is the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2011–12 season. The playoffs began on April 28.
With the exception of the Los Angeles Clippers and Utah Jazz, the playoffs feature the same teams from 2011; all 8 from the East are the same as last year. They also had records over .500, the first time since 2005. The Clippers returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2006, while Utah made the playoffs for the 5th time in the last 6 years, the first without Jerry Sloan as head coach since 1988.
As was the case last season, both the Chicago Bulls and San Antonio Spurs finished atop their respective conferences, with the Bulls again clinching the top overall seed on the final day of the regular season. The Indiana Pacers opened the playoffs at home for the first time since 2004, while the Memphis Grizzlies earned home-court advantage for the first time in franchise history. For the fourth time since 2006, a division winner (in this case the Atlantic Division champion Boston Celtics) opened the playoffs on the road.
The defending champions Dallas Mavericks were swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder 4–0, becoming the third defending champion to be swept in the First Round after the Philadelphia Warriors in 1957 and Miami Heat in 2007. The Mavericks were also swept in a 7-game playoff series for the first time, and only their second sweep since 1990.
The New York Knicks lost their 13th straight playoff game in Game 3 against the Heat, passing the previous record set by Memphis from 2004–06 for the longest playoff losing streak.
The Philadelphia 76ers became only the 5th team in NBA history to defeat a 1st seeded team, beating the Bulls 4–2, making it the first time an 8th seeded team upset a 1st seeded team in consecutive seasons. The Sixers suffered the same fate as the Grizzlies last year, extending their series against the Celtics to 7 games before bowing out on the road.
Game 7 of the Lakers–Nuggets series ensured a 13th straight postseason with at least one Game 7 played. The last without one was the 1999 NBA Playoffs.
This is the first playoffs that the city of Los Angeles has both teams participating in the Conference Semifinals. The last time the Lakers and Clippers were in the Conference Semifinals was 1974, when the Clippers franchise was the Buffalo Braves. Also, another team based out of Staples Center, the National Hockey League's Los Angeles Kings, participated in the 2012 NHL playoffs. As a result of these 3 teams sharing one arena, Games 3 and 4 of the Thunder–Lakers and Spurs–Clippers series were played back-to-back on May 18–19 and 19–20 respectively, to avoid scheduling conflicts.
The Spurs became the fourth team, and the first from the West, to go 8–0 through the first two rounds of the playoffs, following the Miami Heat in 2005, the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2009 and the Orlando Magic in 2010.
Format
The 6 division winners and 10 other teams with the most wins from each conference qualified for the playoffs. The seedings are based on each team's record; however, a division winner is guaranteed to be ranked at least fourth, regardless of record.
Tiebreak procedures
The tiebreakers that determine seedings are:
- Division leader wins tie from team not leading a division
- Head-to-head record
- Division record (if all the tied teams are in the same division)
- Conference record
- Record vs. playoff teams, own conference
- Record vs. playoff teams, other conference (only in 2-way tie)
- Point differential, all games
If there were more than two teams tied, the team that wins the tiebreaker gets the highest seed, while the other teams were "re-broken" from the first step until all ties were resolved. Since the three division winners were guaranteed a spot in the top four, ties to determine the division winners had to be broken before any other ties.[1]
Playoff qualifying
Eastern Conference
| Seed | Team | Record | Clinched | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Playoff berth | Division title | Best record in Conference |
Best record in NBA | |||
| 1 | Chicago Bulls | 50–16 | March 24 | April 12 | April 24 | April 26 |
| 2 | Miami Heat | 46–20 | April 3 | April 15 | — | — |
| 3 | Indiana Pacers | 42–24 | April 13 | — | — | — |
| 4 | Boston Celtics | 39–27 | April 14 | April 18 | — | — |
| 5 | Atlanta Hawks | 40–26 | April 16 | — | — | — |
| 6 | Orlando Magic | 37–29 | April 15 | — | — | — |
| 7 | New York Knicks | 36–30 | April 19 | — | — | — |
| 8 | Philadelphia 76ers | 35–31 | April 23 | — | — | — |
— = Did not achieve
Western Conference
| Seed | Team | Record | Clinched | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Playoff berth | Division title | Best record in Conference |
Best record in NBA | |||
| 1 | San Antonio Spurs | 50–16 | April 8 | April 14 | April 23 | — |
| 2 | Oklahoma City Thunder | 47–19 | April 1 | April 7 | — | — |
| 3 | Los Angeles Lakers | 41–25 | April 13 | April 24 | — | — |
| 4 | Memphis Grizzlies | 41–25 | April 18 | — | — | — |
| 5 | Los Angeles Clippers | 40–26 | April 16 | — | — | — |
| 6 | Denver Nuggets | 38–28 | April 21 | — | — | — |
| 7 | Dallas Mavericks | 36–30 | April 19 | — | — | — |
| 8 | Utah Jazz | 36–30 | April 24 | — | — | — |
— = Did not achieve
Los Angeles Lakers clinched #3 seed over Memphis Grizzlies based on winning Pacific Division.
Dallas Mavericks clinched #7 seed over Utah Jazz based on head to head record (3–1).
Bracket
Teams in bold advanced to the next round. The numbers to the left of each team indicate the team's seeding in its conference, and the numbers to the right indicate the number of games the team won in that round. The division champions are marked by an asterisk. Home court advantage belongs to the team with the better regular season record, regardless of seed. (If two teams with the same record meet in a round, the tiebreakers used are head-to-head and record vs. opposite conference.) Teams with home court advantage are shown in italics in the chart below.
Eastern Conference
- All times are in Eastern Daylight Time (UTC−4)
First Round
(1) Chicago Bulls vs. (8) Philadelphia 76ers
April 28
1:00 pm |
| Philadelphia 76ers 91, Chicago Bulls 103 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 24–28, 18–25, 24–26, 25–24 | ||
| Pts: Elton Brand 19 Rebs: Brand, Holiday 7 each Asts: Iguodala, Turner 5 each |
Pts: Derrick Rose 23 Rebs: Joakim Noah 13 Asts: Derrick Rose 9 | |
United Center, Chicago, Illinois
Attendance: 21,943 Referees: Derrick Stafford, Jason Phillips, Michael Smith, Leroy Richardson |
May 1
8:00 pm |
| Philadelphia 76ers 109, Chicago Bulls 92 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 25–28, 22–27, 36–14, 26–23 | ||
| Pts: Jrue Holiday 26 Rebs: Lavoy Allen 9 Asts: Holiday, Turner, Williams 6 each |
Pts: Joakim Noah 21 Rebs: Joakim Noah 8 Asts: Hamilton, Noah 5 each | |
United Center, Chicago, Illinois
Attendance: 22,067 Referees: Greg Willard, Courtney Kirkland, Rodney Mott, Kane Fitzgerald |
May 4
8:00 pm |
| Chicago Bulls 74, Philadelphia 76ers 79 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 20–19, 19–21, 21–11, 14–28 | ||
| Pts: Carlos Boozer 18 Rebs: Carlos Boozer 10 Asts: Richard Hamilton 7 |
Pts: Spencer Hawes 21 Rebs: Thaddeus Young 11 Asts: Jrue Holiday 6 | |
Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Attendance: 20,381 Referees: Joe Crawford, Tony Brothers, Eric Lewis, Derrick Collins |
May 6
1:00 pm |
| Chicago Bulls 82, Philadelphia 76ers 89 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 15–24, 27–20, 21–20, 19–25 | ||
| Pts: Carlos Boozer 23 Rebs: Taj Gibson 12 Asts: Boozer, Watson 4 each |
Pts: Spencer Hawes 22 Rebs: Andre Iguodala 12 Asts: Jrue Holiday 6 | |
Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Attendance: 20,412 Referees: Dan Crawford, Dick Bavetta, Marc Davis, Mark Lindsay |
May 8
9:30 pm |
| Philadelphia 76ers 69, Chicago Bulls 77 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 16–17, 10–18, 22–22, 21–20 | ||
| Pts: Jrue Holiday 16 Rebs: Spencer Hawes 14 Asts: Jrue Holiday 4 |
Pts: Luol Deng 24 Rebs: Carlos Boozer 13 Asts: C. J. Watson 7 | |
United Center, Chicago,Illinois
Attendance: 22,093 Referees: Ken Mauer, Bill Kennedy, Leon Wood, Mark Lindsay |
May 10
7:00 pm |
| Chicago Bulls 78, Philadelphia 76ers 79 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 22–24, 18–24, 23–15, 15–16 | ||
| Pts: Deng, Hamilton 19 each Rebs: Luol Deng 17 Asts: C. J. Watson 10 |
Pts: Andre Iguodala 20 Rebs: Spencer Hawes 10 Asts: Andre Iguodala 7 | |
| Philadelphia wins series, 4–2 | ||
Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Attendance: 20,362 Referees: Monty McCutchen, Ron Garretson, Sean Wright, Leroy Richardson |
The Bulls came into the playoffs as the first overall seed for the second straight year. The 76ers, meanwhile, came into the playoffs as the team with the lowest record in the playoffs. The Bulls made quick work of the 76ers, winning Game 1. However, with the Bulls leading by 12 with 1:20 to go in the fourth, Derrick Rose tore his ACL and he was ruled out for the playoffs, putting the Bulls championship hopes in serious jeopardy. The 76ers took the next three games to put the Bulls in the brink of elimination. In Game 3, Joakim Noah was injured when he stepped on Andre Iguodala's foot, ruling him out for the next two games. The Bulls staved off elimination by winning Game 5 at home. In Game 6, with the Bulls up 1 with 7 seconds to go, Ömer Aşık missed two crucial free-throws. Iguodala managed to rebound the ball and sprinted to the other side of the court. He got fouled by Aşık while going for a shot. Iguodala gave the 76ers the lead by making the free-throws. The Bulls, who were out of timeouts, had one last chance to force a Game 7 but C. J. Watson's halfcourt heave missed, giving the 76ers the series win. They advanced to the semifinals for the first time since 2003. The Bulls, meanwhile, became the fifth first-seeded team to be upset by the eighth-seed.
- Regular-season series
Chicago won 2–1 in the regular-season series:
Last Playoffs meeting: 1991 Eastern Conference Semifinals (Chicago won 4–1).
(2) Miami Heat vs. (7) New York Knicks
April 28
3:30 pm |
| New York Knicks 67, Miami Heat 100 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 18–24, 13–30, 16–27, 20–19 | ||
| Pts: J. R. Smith 17 Rebs: Carmelo Anthony 10 Asts: Carmelo Anthony 3 |
Pts: LeBron James 32 Rebs: Udonis Haslem 8 Asts: Mario Chalmers 9 | |
American Airlines Arena, Miami, Florida
Attendance: 19,621 Referees: Dan Crawford, Ed Malloy, Gary Zielinski, Mark Lindsay |
April 30
7:00 pm |
| New York Knicks 94, Miami Heat 104 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 24–27, 23–26, 22–25, 25–26 | ||
| Pts: Carmelo Anthony 30 Rebs: Carmelo Anthony 9 Asts: Baron Davis 6 |
Pts: Dwyane Wade 25 Rebs: Udonis Haslem 8 Asts: LeBron James 9 | |
American Airlines Arena, Miami, Florida
Attendance: 19,684 Referees: Joe Crawford, Bennie Adams, Bill Spooner, Leon Wood |
May 3
7:00 pm |
| Miami Heat 87, New York Knicks 70 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 19–19, 17–21, 22–16, 29–14 | ||
| Pts: LeBron James 32 Rebs: Chris Bosh 10 Asts: LeBron James 5 |
Pts: Carmelo Anthony 22 Rebs: Tyson Chandler 15 Asts: Baron Davis 3 | |
Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
Attendance: 19,763 Referees: Mike Callahan, David Guthrie, Eddie F. Rush, John Goble |
May 6
3:30 pm |
| Miami Heat 87, New York Knicks 89 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 18–20, 26–18, 17–26, 26–25 | ||
| Pts: LeBron James 27 Rebs: Chris Bosh 9 Asts: Dwyane Wade 6 |
Pts: Carmelo Anthony 41 Rebs: Amar'e Stoudemire 10 Asts: Anthony, Smith 4 each | |
Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
Attendance: 19,763 Referees: Monty McCutchen, Derrick Collins, Tom Washington, Eric Lewis |
May 9
7:00 pm |
| New York Knicks 94, Miami Heat 106 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 24–28, 20–27, 23–26, 27–25 | ||
| Pts: Carmelo Anthony 35 Rebs: Tyson Chandler 11 Asts: Mike Bibby 6 |
Pts: LeBron James 29 Rebs: LeBron James 8 Asts: LeBron James 7 | |
| Miami wins series, 4–1 | ||
American Airlines Arena, Miami, Florida
Attendance: 19,754 Referees: Greg Willard, James Capers, John Goble |
The Heat defeated the Knicks in Game 1 by 33 points. Game 2 was much closer, even without Knicks' starting rookie guard Iman Shumpert who suffered an ACL injury the previous game, but the Heat still won by 10. In Game 3 in MSG, the Heat found themselves on the wrong end in the first half, trailing by as much as 11 points, before closing the half with a 7–0 run. The Heat led by 2 after the 3rd quarter. However, LeBron James quickly sparked an 8–0 run to start the 4th quarter, giving them a 10 point lead. The Knicks never recovered. James himself outscored the Knicks in the fourth, 17–14. By losing Game 3, the Knicks set a new league record by losing 13 straight playoff games, their last win coming April 29, 2001, in their series versus the Raptors.[2] In Game 4, Knicks' starting guard Baron Davis injured himself in the third quarter and had to be carried off the court on a stretcher. But led by Carmelo Anthony's 41, the Knicks won 89–87, escaping a sweep as Wade's potential series-winning 3 missed at the buzzer. In Game 5, the Knicks started strong but Miami took over the rest of the way. The Heat led by 11 at the end of the first half. The Heat never squandered the lead, effectively sealing the game and the series with a 3-pointer by Battier that gave the Heat a 14-point lead with a minute left in the game. The Knicks were led by Anthony's 35. Amar'e Stoudemire, meanwhile, was plagued by foul trouble. He fouled out with about 4 minutes left in the game.
- Regular-season series
Miami won 3–0 in the regular-season series:
Last Playoffs meeting: 2000 Eastern Conference Semifinals (New York won 4–3).
(3) Indiana Pacers vs. (6) Orlando Magic
April 28
7:00 pm |
| Orlando Magic 81, Indiana Pacers 77 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 21–22, 30–22, 13–19, 17–14 | ||
| Pts: Nelson, Richardson 17 each Rebs: Glen Davis 13 Asts: Jameer Nelson 9 |
Pts: David West 19 Rebs: Roy Hibbert 13 Asts: Darren Collison 5 | |
Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana
Attendance: 18,165 Referees: Ken Mauer, David Jones, Leon Wood, Scott Wall |
April 30
7:30 pm |
| Orlando Magic 78, Indiana Pacers 93 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 21–24, 23–18, 13–30, 21–21 | ||
| Pts: Glen Davis 18 Rebs: Glen Davis 10 Asts: Nelson, Redick, Richardson 3 each |
Pts: Granger, Hill, West 18 each Rebs: Roy Hibbert 13 Asts: David West 4 | |
Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana
Attendance: 18,165 Referees: Derrick Stafford, Bill Kennedy, Gary Zielinski, Brian Forte |
May 2
7:30 pm |
| Indiana Pacers 97, Orlando Magic 74 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 23–14, 21–24, 32–17, 21–19 | ||
| Pts: Danny Granger 26 Rebs: Roy Hibbert 10 Asts: Paul George 4 |
Pts: Glen Davis 22 Rebs: Quentin Richardson 10 Asts: Jameer Nelson 5 | |
Amway Center, Orlando, Florida
Attendance: 18,846 Referees: Dan Crawford, Bennie Adams, Bill Spooner, Mark Lindsay |
May 5
2:00 pm |
| Indiana Pacers 101, Orlando Magic 99 (OT) | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 22–19, 24–25, 27–17, 16–28, Overtime: 12–10 | ||
| Pts: David West 26 Rebs: David West 12 Asts: Darren Collison 9 |
Pts: Jason Richardson 25 Rebs: Glen Davis 11 Asts: Jameer Nelson 11 | |
Amway Center, Orlando, Florida
Attendance: 18,846 Referees: Mike Callahan, Ed Malloy, Violet Palmer, Kane Fitzgerald |
May 8
7:00 pm |
| Orlando Magic 87, Indiana Pacers 105 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 19–28, 28–22, 24–19, 16–36 | ||
| Pts: Jameer Nelson 27 Rebs: Glen Davis 8 Asts: Jameer Nelson 5 |
Pts: Danny Granger 25 Rebs: David West 8 Asts: Darren Collison 6 | |
| Indiana wins series, 4–1 | ||
Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana
Attendance: 18,165 Referees: Monty McCutchen, Marc Davis, David Guthrie, Derrick Collins |
The Pacers were considered the heavy favorites in the series as the Magic would try to defeat Pacers without Dwight Howard. The Magic defied the odds in Game 1, as the Pacers went scoreless in the final 4 minutes of the game, allowing the Magic to go on an 11–0 run to finish the game and take a 1–0 series lead. The Pacers quickly took revenge, winning the next two games at home and on the road by an average of 19 points. Game 4 was close, with the game going to overtime. However, George Hill hit two free-throws with 2 seconds left to give the Pacers a 3–1 lead in the series. Game 5 was close throughout the first three quarters, with Magic taking a two-point lead heading to the 4th quarter. However, Indiana outscored the Magic 36–16 in the fourth to give the Pacers the series victory 4–1.
- Regular-season series
Orlando won 3–1 in the regular-season series:
Last Playoffs meeting: 1995 Eastern Conference Finals (Orlando won 4–3).
(4) Boston Celtics vs. (5) Atlanta Hawks
April 29
7:00 pm |
| Boston Celtics 74, Atlanta Hawks 83 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 18–31, 17–18, 18–16, 21–18 | ||
| Pts: Garnett, Rondo 20 each Rebs: Kevin Garnett 12 Asts: Rajon Rondo 11 |
Pts: Josh Smith 22 Rebs: Josh Smith 18 Asts: Joe Johnson 5 | |
Philips Arena, Atlanta,Georgia
Attendance: 19,292 Referees: Mike Callahan, Marc Davis, John Goble, Kane Fitzgerald |
May 1
7:30 pm |
| Boston Celtics 87, Atlanta Hawks 80 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 24–24, 17–20, 20–22, 26–14 | ||
| Pts: Paul Pierce 36 Rebs: Paul Pierce 14 Asts: Kevin Garnett 5 |
Pts: Joe Johnson 22 Rebs: Josh Smith 12 Asts: Johnson, Smith 5 each | |
Philips Arena, Atlanta, Georgia
Attendance: 19,308 Referees: Scott Foster, Ed Malloy, Scott Wall, Leroy Richardson |
May 4
7:30 pm |
| Atlanta Hawks 84, Boston Celtics 90 (OT) | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 19–17, 19–23, 20–20, 22–20, Overtime: 4–10 | ||
| Pts: Joe Johnson 29 Rebs: Marvin Williams 11 Asts: Jeff Teague 6 |
Pts: Paul Pierce 21 Rebs: Rajon Rondo 14 Asts: Rajon Rondo 12 | |
TD Garden, Boston,Massachusetts
Attendance: 18,624 Referees: Monty McCutchen, Ron Garretson, Zach Zarba, Tony Brown |
May 6
7:00 pm |
| Atlanta Hawks 79, Boston Celtics 101 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 19–32, 22–32, 22–26, 16–11 | ||
| Pts: Josh Smith 15 Rebs: Josh Smith 13 Asts: Josh Smith 5 |
Pts: Paul Pierce 24 Rebs: Allen, Bass, Garnett 5 each Asts: Rajon Rondo 16 | |
TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
Attendance: 18,624 Referees: Joe Crawford, Tony Brothers, Pat Fraher, David Guthrie |
May 8
8:00 pm |
| Boston Celtics 86, Atlanta Hawks 87 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 21–15, 19–25, 24–26, 22–21 | ||
| Pts: Garnett, Pierce 16 each Rebs: Bass, Garnett 7 each Asts: Rajon Rondo 12 |
Pts: Al Horford 19 Rebs: Josh Smith 16 Asts: Josh Smith 6 | |
Philips Arena, Atlanta, Georgia
Attendance: 19,319 Referees: Dan Crawford, David Jones, Tom Washington, Brian Forte |
May 10
8:00 pm |
| Atlanta Hawks 80, Boston Celtics 83 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 23–20, 18–27, 22–20, 17–16 | ||
| Pts: Josh Smith 18 Rebs: Horford, Smith 9 each Asts: Jeff Teague 6 |
Pts: Kevin Garnett 28 Rebs: Kevin Garnett 14 Asts: Rajon Rondo 8 | |
| Boston wins series, 4–2 | ||
TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
Attendance: 18,624 Referees: Derrick Stafford, Bill Kennedy, Eric Lewis, Mark Lindsay |
The Hawks had homecourt advantage for the series despite being the lower seeded team by having the better season-record of the two; the Celtics took the 4th-seed by winning their division title. The Hawks won Game 1 by nine points but Celtics took the next three games, pushing the Hawks to the brink of elimination. Games 2 and 3 were close victories for the Celtics with Game 4 being a blowout victory for them. Game 5 in Atlanta was a close one. In the final seconds, with the Hawks up by one, Rajon Rondo stole an inbound pass, giving the Celtics a chance to finish off the Hawks. However, Josh Smith stripped a Rondo pass intended for Kevin Garnett, letting the Hawks survive and force a Game 6. In Game 6, Garnett led the Celtics to an 83–80 victory and send the Celtics to the Semifinals. The Hawks had a chance to tie the game through free throws. However, Al Horford missed his first free throw that could have cut the lead to one. It was the Hawks' only miss at the free throw line the entire night. He made his second to cut it to one and the Hawks quickly fouled Paul Pierce. Pierce made both free throws to extend Celtics' lead to 3. With a chance to tie the game, Jeff Teague fumbled a pass, sealing the Hawks' demise.
- Regular-season series
Boston won 2–1 in the regular-season series:
Last Playoffs meeting: 2008 Eastern Conference First Round (Boston won 4–3).
Conference Semifinals
(2) Miami Heat vs. (3) Indiana Pacers
May 13
3:30 pm |
| Indiana Pacers 86, Miami Heat 95 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 23–20, 25–22, 22–28, 16–25 | ||
| Pts: Hibbert, West 17 each Rebs: David West 12 Asts: Darren Collison 6 |
Pts: LeBron James 32 Rebs: LeBron James 15 Asts: LeBron James 5 | |
American Airlines Arena, Miami, Florida
Attendance: 19,600 Referees: Scott Foster, Tom Washington, Sean Wright, Eric Lewis |
May 15
7:00 pm |
| Indiana Pacers 78, Miami Heat 75 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 17–21, 16–17, 28–14, 17–23 | ||
| Pts: David West 16 Rebs: George, Hibbert 11 each Asts: Danny Granger 3 |
Pts: LeBron James 28 Rebs: LeBron James 9 Asts: LeBron James 5 | |
American Airlines Arena, Miami, Florida
Attendance: 19,828 Referees: Joe Crawford, Bennie Adams, Ed Malloy, David Jones |
May 17
7:00 pm |
| Miami Heat 75, Indiana Pacers 94 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 26–17, 17–26, 12–26, 20–25 | ||
| Pts: Mario Chalmers 25 Rebs: Ronny Turiaf 8 Asts: Mario Chalmers 5 |
Pts: George Hill 20 Rebs: Roy Hibbert 18 Asts: George Hill 5 | |
Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana
Attendance: 18,165 Referees: Dan Crawford, Tony Brothers, John Goble |
May 20
3:30 pm |
| Miami Heat 101, Indiana Pacers 93 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 18–25, 28–29, 30–16, 25–23 | ||
| Pts: LeBron James 40 Rebs: LeBron James 18 Asts: LeBron James 9 |
Pts: Danny Granger 20 Rebs: Roy Hibbert 9 Asts: Paul George 5 | |
Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana
Attendance: 18,165 Referees: Monty McCutchen, Mike Callahan, Bill Kennedy, David Guthrie |
May 22
8:00 pm |
| Indiana Pacers 83, Miami Heat 115 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 20–26, 20–23, 17–27, 26–39 | ||
| Pts: Paul George 11 Rebs: Roy Hibbert 12 Asts: Paul George 3 |
Pts: LeBron James 30 Rebs: Mario Chalmers 11 Asts: LeBron James 8 | |
American Airlines Arena, Miami, Florida
Attendance: 20,097 Referees: Derrick Stafford, Jason Phillips, Greg Willard, Michael Smith |
May 24
8:00 pm |
| Miami Heat 105, Indiana Pacers 93 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 21–28, 30–25, 28–16, 26–24 | ||
| Pts: Dwyane Wade 41 Rebs: Dwyane Wade 10 Asts: LeBron James 7 |
Pts: David West 24 Rebs: Paul George 10 Asts: George Hill 5 | |
| Miami wins series, 4–2 | ||
Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana
Attendance: 18,165 Referees: Scott Foster, Marc Davis, Ken Mauer, David Jones |
Even though Heat won the season series, 3–1, the series was expected to be a close one. In Game 1, the Heat took a major blow when Chris Bosh got injured in the first half. He was expected to be out for the rest of the series. However, LeBron and Wade took over in the second half to give the Heat the win, 95–86. In Game 2, the Heat started strong, at one point taking a 9-point lead. The Pacers answered that by outscoring the Heat 28–14 in the third quarter to take an 11-point lead going to the fourth quarter. The Heat would comeback, taking a 72–71 lead with 4:11 to go. However, with LeBron and Wade missing key chances, the Pacers tied the series with a 78–75 win. Game 3 marked one of the worst playoff games for Wade, as he scored just 5 points on 2/13 shooting. Without Wade's contribution, the Heat found themselves down in the series 2-1 as the Pacers blew out the Heat 94–75. Before Game 4, the Heat regrouped and refocused on the series. The result was a 101–93 victory over the Pacers in Game 4 to tie the series at 2. LeBron scored 40 in the game, to go along with 18 rebounds and 9 assists. Wade recovered from his terrible Game 3 performance by scoring 30. In Game 5, it was the Pacers who took the major blow when Danny Granger got injured in the second quarter by stepping on LeBron's foot. He tried to come back in the third quarter but he aggravated his injury after fouling James. Then, after the third period, West left the game with a knee injury. Without Granger and West, the Pacers were unable to stop the Heat, as the Heat won 115–83 to take a 3–2 series lead, putting them a win away from the Eastern Conference Finals. In Game 6, West and Granger started for the Pacers despite their injuries. The Pacers started strong, even taking a 19–8 lead in the first quarter. However, the third quarter was decisive, with the Heat outscoring the Pacers 28–16 to take a 79–69 lead going to the fourth quarter. Led by Wade's 41 and LeBron's 28, the Heat never looked back as they won three straight, 105–93, to take the series, 4–2.
- Regular-season series
Miami won 3–1 in the regular-season series:
Last Playoffs meeting: 2004 Eastern Conference Semifinals (Indiana won 4–2).
(4) Boston Celtics vs (8) Philadelphia 76ers
May 12
8:00 pm |
| Philadelphia 76ers 91, Boston Celtics 92 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 28–18, 19–24, 24–25, 20–25 | ||
| Pts: Andre Iguodala 19 Rebs: Evan Turner 10 Asts: Andre Iguodala 6 |
Pts: Kevin Garnett 29 Rebs: Rajon Rondo 12 Asts: Rajon Rondo 17 | |
TD Garden, Boston,Massachusetts
Attendance: 18,624 Referees: Greg Willard, James Capers, David Jones, John Goble |
May 14
7:00 pm |
| Philadelphia 76ers 82, Boston Celtics 81 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 21–25, 15–13, 21–11, 25–32 | ||
| Pts: Jrue Holiday 18 Rebs: Spencer Hawes 10 Asts: Andre Iguodala 7 |
Pts: Ray Allen 17 Rebs: Kevin Garnett 12 Asts: Rajon Rondo 13 | |
TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
Attendance: 18,624 Referees: Dan Crawford, Jason Phillips, Michael Smith, Rodney Mott |
May 16
7:00 pm |
| Boston Celtics 107, Philadelphia 76ers 91 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 28–33, 32–16, 29–17, 18–25 | ||
| Pts: Kevin Garnett 27 Rebs: Kevin Garnett 13 Asts: Rajon Rondo 14 |
Pts: Thaddeus Young 22 Rebs: Evan Turner 8 Asts: Jrue Holiday 9 | |
Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Attendance: 20,351 Referees: Derrick Stafford, Mike Callahan, Eric Lewis, David Guthrie |
May 18
8:00 pm |
| Boston Celtics 83, Philadelphia 76ers 92 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 24–12, 22–19, 17–28, 20–33 | ||
| Pts: Paul Pierce 24 Rebs: Kevin Garnett 11 Asts: Rajon Rondo 15 |
Pts: Iguodala, Turner 16 each Rebs: Lavoy Allen 10 Asts: Louis Williams 8 | |
Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Attendance: 20,411 Referees: Scott Foster, Bill Kennedy, Bill Spooner, David Jones |
May 21
7:00 pm |
| Philadelphia 76ers 85, Boston Celtics 101 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 27–23, 23–24, 16–28, 19–26 | ||
| Pts: Elton Brand 19 Rebs: Evan Turner 10 Asts: Jrue Holiday 7 |
Pts: Brandon Bass 27 Rebs: Bass, Garnett 6 each Asts: Rajon Rondo 14 | |
TD Garden, Boston,Massachusetts
Attendance: 18,624 Referees: Ken Mauer, Ed Malloy, Rodney Mott, Derrick Collins |
May 23
8:00 pm |
| Boston Celtics 75, Philadelphia 76ers 82 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 19–22, 17–11, 20–27, 19–22 | ||
| Pts: Paul Pierce 24 Rebs: Kevin Garnett 11 Asts: Rajon Rondo 6 |
Pts: Jrue Holiday 20 Rebs: Elton Brand 10 Asts: Holiday, Williams 6 each | |
Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Attendance: 20,403 Referees: Joe Crawford, James Capers, Ron Garretson, Zach Zarba |
May 26
8:00 pm |
| Philadelphia 76ers 75, Boston Celtics 85 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 20–20, 13–21, 19–14, 23–30 | ||
| Pts: Andre Iguodala 18 Rebs: Thaddeus Young 10 Asts: Jrue Holiday 9 |
Pts: Garnett, Rondo 18 each Rebs: Kevin Garnett 13 Asts: Rajon Rondo 10 | |
| Boston wins series, 4–3 | ||
TD Garden, Boston,Massachusetts
Attendance: 18,624 Referees: Monty McCutchen, Tony Brothers, Mike Callahan, Sean Wright |
The Sixers came off fresh of an upset over the injury-laden Bulls. Both the Celtics and the Sixers clinched their first round series on the same day. In Game 1, Rondo had another triple-double, but the Sixers held a 10-point lead with 10:53 left in the fourth quarter. However, the Celtics eventually came back, winning Game 1 by a point to take a 1-0 series lead. On the final possession, the Sixers were unable to foul a speedy Rondo, who dribbled off the clock. Game 2 saw the visitors lead for most of the game. With the Sixers leading 78-75 with 12 seconds to go, the Celtics squandered a chance to tie the game, as Garnett was called for an offensive foul. The Sixers would then hit their final four free-throws to tie the series at 1 going back to Philadelphia. In Game 3, the Sixers held their last lead with 9:09 left in the second quarter as the Celtics would takeover the rest of the game to lead them to a 2-1 series advantage. In Game 4, the Celtics would lead by as much as 18 in the third quarter. Facing the prospect of trailing 1-3 in the series, the Sixers would eventually come back to take the game from the Celtics and tie the series going back to Boston. Game 5 saw Brandon Bass score 27 points, including 18 in the third quarter as the Celtics blew out the Sixers, 101-85, to push them a win away from the Eastern Conference Finals. Before the start of Game 6, Allen Iverson presented the game ball, prompting huge cheers from the crowd. It was enough to motivate the Sixers to defeat the Celtics, 82-75, to force a Game 7. Jrue Holiday scored 20 points, including two huge free-throws with 31 seconds to go to put the game away. Game 7 was a tight contest, with the two teams going back-and-forth. Paul Pierce fouled out late in the fourth quarter. But Rajon Rondo had his second triple-double of the series, including a huge fourth quarter that helped the Celtics advance to the Conference Finals to face the Miami Heat.
- Regular-season series
Philadelphia won 2–1 in the regular-season series:
Last Playoffs meeting: 2002 Eastern Conference First Round (Boston won 3–2)
Conference Finals: (2) Miami Heat vs. (4) Boston Celtics
- Regular-season series
Boston Celtics won 3–1 in the regular-season series:
Last Playoffs meeting: 2011 Eastern Conference Semifinals (Miami won 4–1).
Western Conference
First Round
(1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (8) Utah Jazz
April 29
1:00 pm |
| Utah Jazz 91, San Antonio Spurs 106 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 22–28, 25–26, 23–31, 21–21 | ||
| Pts: Paul Millsap 20 Rebs: Jefferson, Millsap 9 each Asts: Jamaal Tinsley 5 |
Pts: Tony Parker 28 Rebs: Tim Duncan 11 Asts: Tony Parker 8 | |
AT&T Center, San Antonio, Texas
Attendance: 18,581 Referees: Monty McCutchen, Dick Bavetta, Rodney Mott, Pat Fraher |
May 2
7:00 pm |
| Utah Jazz 83, San Antonio Spurs 114 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 17–28, 11–25, 25–34, 30–27 | ||
| Pts: Howard, Jefferson 10 each Rebs: Enes Kanter 10 Asts: Gordon Hayward 4 |
Pts: Tony Parker 18 Rebs: Tim Duncan 13 Asts: Tony Parker 9 | |
AT&T Center, San Antonio, Texas
Attendance: 18,581 Referees: Derrick Stafford, Tony Brown, Bill Kennedy, Brian Forte |
May 5
10:00 pm |
| San Antonio Spurs 102, Utah Jazz 90 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 30–28, 22–22, 23–18, 27–22 | ||
| Pts: Tony Parker 27 Rebs: Tiago Splitter 8 Asts: Manu Ginóbili 10 |
Pts: Harris, Jefferson 21 each Rebs: Favors, Jefferson, Millsap 11 each Asts: Harris, Hayward 5 each | |
EnergySolutions Arena, Salt Lake City, Utah
Attendance: 19,911 Referees: Ken Mauer, James Capers, Leon Wood, Scott Wall |
May 7
8:00 pm |
| San Antonio Spurs 87, Utah Jazz 81 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 22–19, 28–23, 18–16, 19–23 | ||
| Pts: Manu Ginóbili 17 Rebs: Stephen Jackson 6 Asts: Tony Parker 3 |
Pts: Al Jefferson 26 Rebs: Paul Millsap 19 Asts: Devin Harris 7 | |
| San Antonio wins series, 4–0 | ||
EnergySolutions Arena, Salt Lake City, Utah
Attendance: 19,911 Referees: Scott Foster, John Goble, Jason Phillips, Leroy Richardson |
The Spurs were touted the heavy favorites in the series, following their 10-game winning streak to end the regular season and their 3–1 season series victory over the Jazz. They quickly worked their way through the Jazz, scoring 31 points in the third quarter to blow the game open. They eventually won Game 1 106–91. In Game 2, the Spurs shot 10 three-pointers and shot more than 50% as they blew out the Jazz by 31 points, 114–83, to take a 2–0 series lead. Game 3 was close throughout the first half, with the Spurs leading only by 2 after the first half. However, the Spurs blew the game open in the second half and won the game by 12 to take 3–0 lead in the series. The odds were stacked for the Jazz as no team in NBA history have managed to win a series after trailing the series 3–0. Notably, before Game 4 had even been played, Jazz forward Al Jefferson commented that he didn't think any team would defeat the Spurs[3] In Game 4, it seemed like the Spurs will complete the sweep when they had a 21-point lead. However, the Jazz eventually cut the lead to just 4 with 49.4 remaining in the fourth. However, Tony Parker and Manu Ginóbili eventually sealed the series by stealing the ball and scoring on a basket respectively. The Spurs eventually completed the sweep, winning Game 4 by 6.
- Regular-season series
San Antonio won 3–1 in the regular-season series:
Last Playoffs meeting: 2007 Western Conference Finals (San Antonio won 4–1).
(2) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (7) Dallas Mavericks
April 28
9:30 pm |
| Dallas Mavericks 98, Oklahoma City Thunder 99 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 26–22, 25–26, 22–21, 25–30 | ||
| Pts: Dirk Nowitzki 25 Rebs: Shawn Marion 8 Asts: Kidd, Terry 5 each |
Pts: Russell Westbrook 28 Rebs: Kendrick Perkins 8 Asts: Russell Westbrook 5 | |
Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Attendance: 18,203 Referees: Joe Crawford, Tony Brothers, David Guthrie, Bennie Adams |
April 30
9:30 pm |
| Dallas Mavericks 99, Oklahoma City Thunder 102 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 24–32, 26–25, 27–22, 22–23 | ||
| Pts: Dirk Nowitzki 31 Rebs: Shawn Marion 8 Asts: Jason Kidd 7 |
Pts: Russell Westbrook 29 Rebs: Kevin Durant 10 Asts: James Harden 5 | |
Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Attendance: 18,203 Referees: Ken Mauer, James Capers, Zach Zarba, Mark Lindsay |
May 3
9:30 pm |
| Oklahoma City Thunder 95, Dallas Mavericks 79 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 32–26, 18–15, 25–16, 20–22 | ||
| Pts: Kevin Durant 31 Rebs: Serge Ibaka 11 Asts: Kevin Durant 6 |
Pts: Dirk Nowitzki 17 Rebs: Shawn Marion 10 Asts: Jason Terry 6 | |
American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas
Attendance: 20,640 Referees: Greg Willard, Marc Davis, David Jones, Kane Fitzgerald |
May 5
7:30 pm |
| Oklahoma City Thunder 103, Dallas Mavericks 97 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 26–24, 21–23, 21–34, 35–16 | ||
| Pts: James Harden 29 Rebs: Kevin Durant 11 Asts: Russell Westbrook 6 |
Pts: Dirk Nowitzki 34 Rebs: Vince Carter 8 Asts: Jason Kidd 8 | |
| Oklahoma City wins series, 4–0 | ||
American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas
Attendance: 20,533 Referees: Scott Foster, Bill Spooner, Sean Wright, Courtney Kirkland |
The Mavericks came into the playoffs only as the 7th-seed, one of the lowest placements for a defending champion. Game 1 was a very close affair, with both teams going back and forth in the final minutes of the fourth quarter. However, Kevin Durant scored on a one-handed jumper with just about 1 second remaining. The Mavs still tried to win but Shawn Marion failed to get a shot off at the buzzer, giving the Thunder a one-point victory and a 1–0 series lead. Game 2 was also a close one but the Thunder held on and managed to squeak a 102–99 win and 2–0 series lead over the defending champs. In Game 3, the Mavs were no match for the Thunder, with the Thunder eventually blowing out the defending champs 95–79 to send the Mavs into the brink of a sweep. In Game 4, it looked as if the Mavs would stave off elimination when they led by 13 at the end of the third quarter. However, the Thunder outscored the Mavs 35–16 in the fourth and held on for a 103–97 victory over the Mavs. Following the sweep, the Mavs became just the 3rd defending champion to be swept in the first round.
- Regular-season series
Oklahoma City won 3–1 in the regular-season series:
Last Playoffs meeting: 2011 Western Conference Finals (Dallas won 4–1).
(3) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (6) Denver Nuggets
April 29
3:30 pm |
| Denver Nuggets 88, Los Angeles Lakers 103 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 14–27, 26–23, 24–27, 24–26 | ||
| Pts: Danilo Gallinari 19 Rebs: Faried, Miller 8 each Asts: Andre Miller 7 |
Pts: Kobe Bryant 31 Rebs: Andrew Bynum 13 Asts: Pau Gasol 8 | |
Staples Center, Los Angeles, California
Attendance: 18,997 Referees: Scott Foster, Derrick Collins, Ron Garretson, Tony Brown |
May 1
10:30 pm |
| Denver Nuggets 100, Los Angeles Lakers 104 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 25–32, 23–23, 26–26, 26–23 | ||
| Pts: Ty Lawson 25 Rebs: Kenneth Faried 10 Asts: Andre Miller 8 |
Pts: Kobe Bryant 38 Rebs: Hill, Gasol 10 each Asts: Pau Gasol 5 | |
Staples Center, Los Angeles, California
Attendance: 18,997 Referees: Monty McCutchen, Pat Fraher, Tom Washington, Violet Palmer |
May 4
10:30 pm |
| Los Angeles Lakers 84, Denver Nuggets 99 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 14–30, 25–25, 26–17, 19–27 | ||
| Pts: Kobe Bryant 22 Rebs: Andrew Bynum 12 Asts: Bryant, Sessions 6 each |
Pts: Ty Lawson 25 Rebs: Faried, McGee 15 each Asts: Ty Lawson 7 | |
Pepsi Center, Denver, Colorado
Attendance: 19,155 Referees: Dan Crawford, Jason Phillips, Michael Smith, Brian Forte |
May 6
9:30 pm |
| Los Angeles Lakers 92, Denver Nuggets 88 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 26–28, 19–23, 25–20, 22–17 | ||
| Pts: Kobe Bryant 22 Rebs: Jordan Hill 11 Asts: Bryant, Gasol 6 each |
Pts: Danilo Gallinari 20 Rebs: Faried, Miller 7 each Asts: Ty Lawson 6 | |
Pepsi Center, Denver, Colorado
Attendance: 19,155 Referees: Greg Willard, David Jones, Bill Kennedy, Gary Zielinski |
May 8
10:30 pm |
| Denver Nuggets 102, Los Angeles Lakers 99 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 26–23, 23–20, 27–22, 26–34 | ||
| Pts: Andre Miller 24 Rebs: JaVale McGee 14 Asts: Lawson, Miller 8 each |
Pts: Kobe Bryant 43 Rebs: Andrew Bynum 11 Asts: Ramon Sessions 6 | |
Staples Center, Los Angeles, California
Attendance: 18,997 Referees: Joe Crawford, Tony Brothers, Zach Zarba, Bennie Adams |
May 10
10:30 pm |
| Los Angeles Lakers 96, Denver Nuggets 113 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 20–30, 25–24, 23–36, 28–23 | ||
| Pts: Kobe Bryant 31 Rebs: Andrew Bynum 16 Asts: Kobe Bryant 4 |
Pts: Ty Lawson 32 Rebs: Kenneth Faried 11 Asts: Afflalo, Gallinari 7 each | |
Pepsi Center, Denver, Colorado
Attendance: 19,770 Referees: Ken Mauer, Ed Malloy, Rodney Mott, Tony Brown |
May 12
10:30 pm |
| Denver Nuggets 87, Los Angeles Lakers 96 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 24–25, 18–23, 26–21, 19–27 | ||
| Pts: Lawson, Harrington 24 each Rebs: JaVale McGee 14 Asts: Andre Miller 8 |
Pts: Pau Gasol 23 Rebs: Andrew Bynum 18 Asts: Kobe Bryant 8 | |
| L.A. Lakers wins series, 4–3 | ||
Staples Center, Los Angeles, California
Attendance: 18,997 Referees: Derrick Stafford, Mike Callahan, Bill Spooner, Derrick Collins |
The Lakers won the opening game 103–88 after Andrew Bynum had a triple-double with 10 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 blocked shots. The blocked shots broke Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's franchise record of nine, and tied the NBA playoff record set by Mark Eaton and Hakeem Olajuwon. Kobe Bryant scored 31 points and Pau Gasol added 13 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.[4] The Lakers then won a close Game 2 but the Nuggets proceeded to blow out the Lakers in Game 3 99–84 to prevent the Lakers from taking a commanding 3–0 lead. Game 4 was close but Sessions and Blake hit pivotal 3's to put the Lakers in the lead for good and take a 3–1 series lead. Before Game 5, Bynum said that "Close-out games are actually kind of easy."[5] The Nuggets responded by taking Game 5 102–99. The game saw the Lakers erase a 90–75 deficit with 6:35 left in the fourth quarter. In Game 6, Bryant played despite having a stomach illness, but still managed to score 31 points. However, with little contribution from Gasol and Bynum, the Nuggets forced Game 7 with a 113–96 blowout win over the Lakers. The Lakers won the series 4–3, and avoided becoming the the ninth team in NBA history to blow a 3–1 series lead. Gasol had 23 points, 17 rebounds and six assists, Bynum had 16 points and a playoff career-high 18 rebounds, and Steve Blake scored a playoff career-high 19 points in a 96–87 win in Game 7. The Lakers blew a 16-point lead in the second half before Gasol put the Lakers ahead for good with a tip-in basket with 6:30 left. Kobe Bryant sealed Denver's fate by hitting a 3 with 48.3 seconds left to put the Lakers up 8. Denver had 19 turnovers in the game and shot just 7-of-27 shooting in the fourth quarter. Returning from his seven-game suspension, Metta World Peace scored 15 points, while Bryant had 17 points, and 8 assists.[6]
- Regular-season series
Los Angeles Lakers won 3–1 in the regular-season series:
Last Playoffs meeting: 2009 Western Conference Finals (Los Angeles Lakers won 4–2).
(4) Memphis Grizzlies vs. (5) Los Angeles Clippers
April 29
9:30 pm |
| Los Angeles Clippers 99, Memphis Grizzlies 98 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 16–34, 23–24, 25–27, 35–13 | ||
| Pts: Nick Young 19 Rebs: Reggie Evans 13 Asts: Chris Paul 11 |
Pts: Rudy Gay 19 Rebs: Marreese Speights 9 Asts: Mike Conley 8 | |
FedExForum, Memphis, Tennessee
Attendance: 18,119 Referees: Greg Willard, Eric Lewis, Tom Washington, Courtney Kirkland |
May 2
9:30 pm |
| Los Angeles Clippers 98, Memphis Grizzlies 105 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 26–23, 21–28, 22–24, 29–30 | ||
| Pts: Chris Paul 29 Rebs: Blake Griffin 9 Asts: Chris Paul 6 |
Pts: Rudy Gay 21 Rebs: Zach Randolph 8 Asts: Mike Conley 6 | |
FedExForum, Memphis, Tennessee
Attendance: 18,119 Referees: Ken Mauer, Ron Garretson, Sean Wright, Michael Smith |
May 5
4:30 pm |
| Memphis Grizzlies 86, Los Angeles Clippers 87 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 22–23, 24–27, 25–14, 15–23 | ||
| Pts: Rudy Gay 24 Rebs: Marc Gasol 10 Asts: Mike Conley 8 |
Pts: Chris Paul 24 Rebs: Reggie Evans 11 Asts: Chris Paul 11 | |
Staples Center, Los Angeles, California
Attendance: 19,060 Referees: Derrick Stafford, John Goble, Rodney Mott, Leroy Richardson |
May 7
10:30 pm |
| Memphis Grizzlies 97, Los Angeles Clippers 101 (OT) | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 26–32, 19–19, 19–18, 23–18, Overtime: 10–14 | ||
| Pts: Mike Conley 25 Rebs: Zach Randolph 9 Asts: Mike Conley 8 |
Pts: Blake Griffin 30 Rebs: Chris Paul 9 Asts: Griffin, Paul 7 each | |
Staples Center, Los Angeles, California
Attendance: 19,167 Referees: Mike Callahan, James Capers, Scott Wall, Bennie Adams |
May 9
9:30 pm |
| Los Angeles Clippers 80, Memphis Grizzlies 92 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 22–36, 20–21, 23–20, 15–15 | ||
| Pts: Mo Williams 20 Rebs: Blake Griffin 11 Asts: Chris Paul 4 |
Pts: Marc Gasol 23 Rebs: Zach Randolph 10 Asts: Mike Conley 6 | |
FedExForum, Memphis, Tennessee
Attendance: 18,119 Referees: Scott Foster, Bill Spooner, Gary Zielinski, Kane Fitzgerald |
May 11
9:00 pm |
| Memphis Grizzlies 90, Los Angeles Clippers 88 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 25–16, 17–22, 24–28, 24–22 | ||
| Pts: Marc Gasol 23 Rebs: Zach Randolph 15 Asts: Mike Conley 9 |
Pts: Blake Griffin 15 Rebs: Reggie Evans 10 Asts: Chris Paul 7 | |
Staples Center, Los Angeles, California
Attendance: 19,060 Referees: Dan Crawford, Marc Davis, Jason Phillips, Leon Wood |
May 13
1:00 pm |
| Los Angeles Clippers 82, Memphis Grizzlies 72 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 16–13, 23–25, 16–18, 27–16 | ||
| Pts: Chris Paul 19 Rebs: Kenyon Martin 10 Asts: Chris Paul 4 |
Pts: Gasol, Gay 19 each Rebs: Zach Randolph 12 Asts: Mike Conley 5 | |
| L.A. Clippers wins series, 4–3 | ||
FedExForum, Memphis, Tennessee
Attendance: 18,119 Referees: Joe Crawford, Bill Kennedy, Monty McCutchen, Zach Zarba |
The Clippers rallied to win Game 1 in one of the largest comebacks in playoffs history. Trailing by as many at 27, and down 95–71 with 9:13 remaining, the Clippers held the Grizzlies to just one field goal the rest of the game and pulled off an improbable 99–98 victory before a stunned, sold-out crowd of 18,119 at FedExForum.[7] In Game 2, the Grizzlies avenged their embarrassing Game 1 loss by winning a close Game 2 to even the series going to Los Angeles. In Game 3, the Clippers survived a late Grizzlies rally in the final minute as Rudy Gay's three-pointer missed at the buzzer to give the Clippers a one-point victory and a 2–1 series lead. Game 4 was close, with the game going to overtime. With Chris Paul's heroics, the Clippers managed to win Game 4 and take a commanding 3–1 series lead. Back at home for Game 5, the Grizzlies tried to stave off elimination, at one point taking a 24-point lead in the third before the Clippers cut down on the lead again. However, the Grizzlies made sure there would be no collapse, using a 7–1 run in the final minute 44 seconds to win Game 5 92–80. Facing elimination on the road, the Grizzlies gathered themselves, storming back from an eight-point fourth-quarter deficit to win Game 6 90–88, to force a decisive Game 7. In Game 7, the Clipper bench outscored their Grizzlies counterparts, 41–11, and it was enough as the Clippers won on the road to advance to the semifinals against the Spurs.
- Regular-season series
The Clippers won 2–1 in the regular-season series:
Last Playoffs meeting: This is the first meeting between the Clippers and Grizzlies.
Conference Semifinals
(1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (5) Los Angeles Clippers
May 15
9:30 pm |
| Los Angeles Clippers 92, San Antonio Spurs 108 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 29–29, 20–28, 23–30, 20–21 | ||
| Pts: Eric Bledsoe 23 Rebs: Griffin, Jordan 9 each Asts: Chris Paul 10 |
Pts: Tim Duncan 26 Rebs: Boris Diaw 12 Asts: Tony Parker 11 | |
AT&T Center, San Antonio, Texas
Attendance: 18,581 Referees: Scott Foster, Derrick Collins, Ron Garretson, Sean Wright |
May 17
9:30 pm |
| Los Angeles Clippers 88, San Antonio Spurs 105 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 21–29, 21–17, 25–32, 21–27 | ||
| Pts: Blake Griffin 20 Rebs: DeAndre Jordan 7 Asts: Chris Paul 5 |
Pts: Tony Parker 22 Rebs: Parker, Duncan 5 each Asts: Parker, Ginóbili 5 each | |
May 19
3:30 pm |
| San Antonio Spurs 96, Los Angeles Clippers 86 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 11–33, 32–20, 26–8, 27–25 | ||
| Pts: Tony Parker 23 Rebs: Tim Duncan 13 Asts: Tony Parker 10 |
Pts: Blake Griffin 28 Rebs: Blake Griffin 16 Asts: Chris Paul 11 | |
Staples Center, Los Angeles, California
Attendance: 19,060 Referees: Derrick Stafford, Tony Brothers, Tom Washington, Rodney Mott |
May 20
10:30 pm |
| San Antonio Spurs 102, Los Angeles Clippers 99 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 26–21, 25–26, 23–28, 28–24 | ||
| Pts: Tim Duncan 21 Rebs: Tim Duncan 9 Asts: Tony Parker 5 |
Pts: Chris Paul 23 Rebs: DeAndre Jordan 8 Asts: Chris Paul 11 | |
| San Antonio wins series, 4–0 | ||
Staples Center, Los Angeles, California
Attendance: 19,060 Referees: Joe Crawford, James Capers, Bill Spooner, Zach Zarba |
The Spurs won their last 14 games coming into this series. They were also well prepared because they were able to sweep their previous opponents, the Utah Jazz. Meanwhile, the Clippers were coming off a tough seven-game series against the Memphis Grizzlies and had to play Game 1 just 2 days after the Game 7 ended. Game 1 was close as the teams were tied coming into the 2nd Quarter. However, the Spurs quickly took control in the 2nd and 3rd Quarters as they defeated the Clippers, 108–92, and took a 1–0 series lead. Game 2 then saw a Spurs team taking control in the second half to defeat the Clippers and take a 2–0 lead. Going to Los Angeles for a back-to-back Games 3 and 4, the Clippers looked confident to defeat the Spurs, as they quickly took a 40–16 lead with 9:17 to go in the 2nd. However, the Spurs quickly cut the lead to 7 with 36.4 seconds before the half, with the half ending with a 10-point Clipper lead. Then, with the Clippers holding on to a 12-point lead with 9:39 to go in the 3rd, the Spurs unleashed a ferocious 24–0 run to take a 69-57 lead with 2 minutes to go in the 3rd. The Clippers never got closer than seven down the stretch as they watched the Spurs take a commanding 3–0 lead. Game 4 was a close one, with the Clippers leading for much of the fourth quarter before the Spurs took the lead on a Duncan hook shot. Then, in the final moments of the game, Paul made several mistakes, a bad pass and an off-balanced jump shot that missed, that ultimately led to Clippers' demise. Following Parker's free-throw that extended the Spurs' lead to 3, the Clippers had one last chance. However, out of timeouts, the Clippers were forced to take a long inbound pass. Mo Williams managed to catch the ball but was unable to get a shot off as the Spurs completed the sweep of the Clippers. The Spurs became just the fourth team to go 8–0 through the first two rounds of the playoffs.
- Regular-season series
San Antonio won 2–1 in the regular-season series:
Last Playoffs meeting: This is the first meeting between the Spurs and Clippers.
(2) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (3) Los Angeles Lakers
May 14
9:30 pm |
| Los Angeles Lakers 90, Oklahoma City Thunder 119 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 23–30, 21–29, 24–39, 22–21 | ||
| Pts: Bryant, Bynum 20 each Rebs: Andrew Bynum 14 Asts: Steve Blake 4 |
Pts: Russell Westbrook 27 Rebs: Kevin Durant 8 Asts: Russell Westbrook 9 | |
Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Attendance: 18,203 Referees: Greg Willard, Tony Brothers, David Guthrie, Leon Wood |
May 16
9:30 pm |
| Los Angeles Lakers 75, Oklahoma City Thunder 77 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 22–21, 23–27, 18–12, 12–17 | ||
| Pts: Bryant, Bynum 20 each Rebs: Pau Gasol 11 Asts: Kobe Bryant 4 |
Pts: Kevin Durant 22 Rebs: Kevin Durant 7 Asts: Kevin Durant 5 | |
Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Attendance: 18,203 Referees: Monty McCutchen, Rodney Mott, Jason Phillips, Michael Smith |
May 18
10:30 pm |
| Oklahoma City Thunder 96, Los Angeles Lakers 99 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 15–23, 32–27, 23–19, 26–30 | ||
| Pts: Kevin Durant 31 Rebs: Serge Ibaka 11 Asts: Thabo Sefolosha 4 |
Pts: Kobe Bryant 36 Rebs: Bynum, Gasol 11 each Asts: Bryant, Gasol 6 each | |
Staples Center, Los Angeles, California
Attendance: 18,997 Referees: Joe Crawford, Marc Davis, Zach Zarba, Sean Wright |
May 19
10:30 pm |
| Oklahoma City Thunder 103, Los Angeles Lakers 100 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 24–29, 22–27, 25–24, 32–20 | ||
| Pts: Russell Westbrook 37 Rebs: Kevin Durant 13 Asts: Russell Westbrook 5 |
Pts: Kobe Bryant 38 Rebs: Andrew Bynum 9 Asts: Bryant, Sessions 5 each | |
Staples Center, Los Angeles, California
Attendance: 18,997 Referees: Dan Crawford, Ron Garretson, Ken Mauer, Sean Wright |
May 21
9:30 pm |
| Los Angeles Lakers 90, Oklahoma City Thunder 106 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 21–26, 30–28, 26–29, 13–23 | ||
| Pts: Kobe Bryant 42 Rebs: Pau Gasol 16 Asts: Metta World Peace 5 |
Pts: Russell Westbrook 28 Rebs: Kendrick Perkins 11 Asts: Durant, Harden, Westbrook 4 each | |
| Oklahoma City wins series, 4–1 | ||
Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Attendance: 18,203 Referees: Scott Foster, John Goble, Tom Washington, Bennie Adams |
Much like the Spurs-Clippers series, the series featured a team that swept their first round opponents and another team that were coming off a tough seven-game series. As such, the Thunder had the advantage in Game 1. The result was a convincing 29-point blowout by the Thunder to the Lakers. The Thunder quickly took control through the first three quarters and stretched their lead to as high as 35. Game 2 was much closer, with the Lakers shocking the Thunder by leading by 7 with 2 minutes to go that would seemingly tie the series at 1. However, the Lakers would fail to keep the lead, with the Thunder eventually going on a 9-0 run to take a 2–0 series lead. In Game 3, the Lakers collaborated on both ends to prevent the Thunder from taking a 3–0 lead putting them back into the series. Game 4 saw the Lakers start strong, taking a 10-point lead at halftime. They were able to have a 13-point lead in the fourth. However, Thunder outscored the Lakers 25–9 the rest of the way to take a 3–1 series lead, putting the Lakers into the brink of elimination. With the score tied at 98, Russell Westbrook committed a crucial turnover when he slipped and lost the ball. However, Pau Gasol's pass was taken by Durant, setting up Durant's 3-pointer that gave the Thunder the lead for good. The Lakers still had one last chance to tie but Kobe Bryant's three missed, with Harden hitting two free-throws to effectively seal the deal. In Game 5, Lakers were able to keep the game close throughout the first three quarters before the Thunder closed the series on a flurry, starting with two threes by Kevin Durant. The Lakers were not able to respond as they watched the Thunder take the series, 4–1, to send the Lakers back home for the second straight season in the Conference Semifinals.
- Regular-season series
Oklahoma City won 2–1 in the regular-season series:
Last Playoffs meeting: 2010 Western Conference First Round (Los Angeles Lakers won 4–2).
Conference Finals: (1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (2) Oklahoma City Thunder
May 27
8:30 pm |
| Oklahoma City Thunder 98, San Antonio Spurs 101 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 18–24, 29–22, 24–16, 27–39 | ||
| Pts: Kevin Durant 27 Rebs: Kevin Durant 10 Asts: Russell Westbrook 5 |
Pts: Manu Ginóbili 26 Rebs: Tim Duncan 11 Asts: Tony Parker 6 | |
| San Antonio leads series, 1–0 | ||
AT&T Center, San Antonio, Texas
Attendance: 18,581 Referees: Joe Crawford, Marc Davis, Greg Willard, John Goble |
- Regular-season series
San Antonio won 2–1 in the regular-season series:
Last Playoffs meeting: 2005 Western Conference Semifinals (San Antonio won 4–2 over Seattle, the predecessor to Oklahoma City)
Statistic leaders
| Category | High | Average | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Total | Player | Team | Avg. | Games played | |
| Points | Kobe Bryant | Los Angeles Lakers | 43 | Kobe Bryant | Los Angeles Lakers | 30.0 | 12 |
| Rebounds | Paul Millsap | Utah Jazz | 19 | Josh Smith | Atlanta Hawks | 13.6 | 5 |
| Assists | Rajon Rondo | Boston Celtics | 17 | Rajon Rondo | Boston Celtics | 12.3 | 12 |
| Steals | Jason Kidd | Dallas Mavericks | 7 | Jason Kidd | Dallas Mavericks | 3.0 | 4 |
| Blocks | Andrew Bynum | Los Angeles Lakers | 10* | Serge Ibaka | Oklahoma City Thunder | 3.5 | 10 |
* Tied NBA Playoffs Record
References
- ^ "2011–2012 Conference Regular Season Standings". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. April 15, 2012. Retrieved April 15, 2012.
- ^ Associated Press. "James, Heat pull away to lead 3–0 over Knicks". SI.com. Retrieved May 4, 2012.
- ^ Devine, Dan. "Al Jefferson can't see anyone beating Spurs". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved 22 May 2012.
- ^ "Bynum's triple-double leads Lakers past Nuggets". SI.com. Associated Press. April 29, 2012. Archived from the original on May 13, 2012.
- ^ McMenamin, Dave (May 9, 2012). "Lakers want to end series Tuesday". ESPNLosAngeles.com. Archived from the original on May 9, 2012.
- ^ "Pau Gasol-led Lakers top Nuggets in Game 7; Metta World Peace adds 15 points in return". ESPN.com. Associated Press. May 12, 2012. Retrieved May 12, 2012.
- ^ "Clippers rally from 27 down to stun Grizzlies in Game 1; Caron Butler breaks hand". ESPN.com. April 29, 2012. Retrieved May 16, 2012.