Jason Terry admitted it after Boston’s season-saving seven-point overtime win over New York yesterday afternoon. The JET hasn’t had the greatest of seasons, falling off from a super clutch old timer to… just some guy who takes up space, gets tattoos he can’t back up anymore and does annoying fighter plane dances. But he reemerged in the extra session, hitting a ball-busting triple in transition to put the Celtics up three with barely a minute left in overtime. Carmelo Anthony (10-for-35, 36 points), who wore Brandon Bass like a snug sweater all day, countered with a pull-up, but Terry (18 points) answered again with another bucket. He’d later make two freebies to put Boston up five with 20 seconds left, and then finished it off with a breakaway layup. … Without J.R. Smith (suspended), New York (which had to resort to an old timer’s lineup in the second quarter: Kidd, Prigioni, Novak, Q-Rich and Martin) fell behind by 20 in the third. Paul Pierce had 29 points (and a missed pull-up to send it to overtime) and dropped the boom on the Knicks during that stretch.
The Knicks were unwinding once they got concerned with the refs, but Raymond Felton (27 points, 16 in the third quarter) saved them. He was playing better than he ever has, working Avery Bradley over on threes and drives. He also made a pull-up triple at the quarter buzzer from close to 30 feet, cutting the deficit to just three. If only ‘Melo had brought it like that. He missed 25 shots, two of them in the final minute, and also choked on two free throws with 1:50 left in regulation. … During the first quarter, Steve Novak drilled a transition three-pointer and the Notorious J.V.G. called him “one of the best shooters who has ever lived!” Machine Gun Kelly can definitely stroke it, but he probably wouldn’t make our list of the top five shooters ever (topped by Shooter McGavin). Yet the Notorious J.V.G. wasn’t done. He later said Jason Kidd “doesn’t act emotionally drunk.” … It’s all good though, New York fans. You’re still up 3-1, and if you needed any condolences, have a chat with rapper Joe Budden…
I remember playoff games w Mike Bibby starting at PG.. U really can’t tell me shit about this loss, lol
— Joe Budden (@JoeBudden) April 28, 2013
Miami sent the Bucks fishing, completing the sweep with a 88-77 win and getting 30 points from LeBron James. D-Wade didn’t play, and it still didn’t matter. The Heat toyed with Milwaukee, finally finishing them off in the fourth quarter when they got three-point plays from LeBron while the Bucks continually left Ray Allen (16 points) open in the corner. Within minutes, a two-possession game became 86-72. That sound you heard were thousands of remote controls switching channels. James is now 32-7 in first-round games in his career. … Remember Brandon Jennings guaranteeing the Bucks would take this in six? He ended up shooting 17-for-57 from the floor during the series, and went 1-for-7 for three points yesterday. … It’ll be an interesting offseason for Milwaukee. They’re like the new age Atlanta: they’re never getting past the first/second round (no matter WHAT) with their current roster, yet they’re kind of locked into it because they don’t have any better options. No one really wants to play there, they won’t get high draft choices, and all of their best players consistently have one foot out the door. Put it this way, if Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis (21 points, eight assists) are your two best players, you ain’t winning s—. In a perfect world, Ellis is a great sixth man, and Jennings still needs seasoning if he wants to turn into the 15 a night, gritty, clutch point guard that you can win with. … And since when has Shaq developed a fetish for Chris Andersen? Hopefully the Birdman keeps up this run he’s been on because we need more of this…
Keep reading to hear about the disgrace from L.A….
Kobe Bryant is rolling over in his grave right now. Not only did the Lakers get embarrassed by San Antonio, 103-82 — which was a given — but they also went out in a blaze of fire. Dwight Howard (seven points, eight rebounds) was ejected in the second half in the only appropriate way for this season to end. What happened after Howard was ejected to the locker room? You’re not gonna believe this, but suddenly Kobe appeared from the locker room and sat on the bench. He must not have wanted to share the locker room with Superman. It felt like a funeral in Los Angeles, and the bad news just kept coming. Before the game, it was confirmed by Kevin Ding that Pau Gasol (who’s probably gone this offseason) tore a ligament in his right middle finger. Is anyone healthy in L.A.? Even Mike D’Antoni is walking around with a bruised ego…
Fan yells: "I love you, Mike D'Antoni!" Devin Ebanks laughs. Jordan Hill shakes his head.
— KEVIN DING (@KevinDing) April 28, 2013
Watching this new Kobe tribute is like watching someone from a long, long time ago. That’s how bad it is in L.A. right now — the good times felt like they were a decade ago. No team has ever been so happy for the season to end.
For the Spurs, we’re hoping they gave Tracy McGrady a Champagne shower afterward. Yes, he’s only been a part of the team for a few weeks and played just five minutes last night, but still, T-Mac has finally advanced past the first round. (Spoiler GoT alert!) Outside of Jon Snow, he was the most famous person to give up that V-card last night. … Even in a rabid environment, Ty Lawson (26 points, six assists) and the Nuggets made a run in the third quarter, getting to within four of the Warriors. But then Stephen Curry (31 points, seven assists) happened. During one sequence, he drained a 28-footer then hit a left-handed floater over McGee for a three-point play, and then it became 88-71 after Curry made a steal and dropped one of those 2K-style shots: on the run, not even set, with like four defenders around him. Splash. The game was over at that point. He scored 22 points in a little over six minutes, and the Warriors went on to take a 3-1 series lead with the 115-101 W. Besides Curry’s barrage, the other surprise was Andrew Bogut, who was jumping like he’d switched bodies with a pre-lockout (1999) Shawn Kemp.
Meanwhile, the NBA Draft just got a little less crowded. Yahoo! Sports is reporting that Michigan State’s Adreian Payne will return to school for his senior year, despite there being a good chance he won’t be drafted as high in a loaded 2014 Draft. However Miami’s Shane Larkin has declared for the draft. … In the NBA Development League Championship, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers beatdown the Santa Cruz Warriors, 102-91, getting a game-high 27 points, seven rebounds and six assists from D.J. Kennedy. Glen Rice, Jr. added 25 points and 13 rebounds. … Keep reading to check out one of the best shirts you’ll ever see…
It’s never fun seeing a star walking around on crutches. The video game parties at D-Rose‘s crib are getting too crowded. But when Russell Westbrook posted a pic on Instagram with the caption “..ill b back …” it was at that point that we realized his injury might’ve been the worst of all for us to deal with. It basically guaranteed a title for Miami, and destroyed any notion that Russ West was like Bruce Willis in Unbreakable. Nobody is safe from injury and for all of the advances in technology, it isn’t getting any better.
Since he can no longer get on the court in Chicago, Richard Hamilton is apparently spending a lot of time reading. His latest recommendation is Shock The World by Peter F. Burns Jr. No surprise there. Our favorite basketball books? The Jordan Rules, The Last Shot, The Miracle Of St. Anthony, The Breaks Of The Game and any book from Phil Jackson.
And this might be one of the best t-shirts we’ve ever seen. Never change, Swaggy P. Never change…
We’re out like “Bucks in six.”
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