Attacking the Boards: Kobe Trumps Shaq (Again!) in Losing Effort
Los Angeles (Lakers) 111, Phoenix 118
Kobe Bryant did all he could to keep his Lakers in this one, but in the end his game-high 49 points, 11 rebounds and 2 assists weren’t enough to warrant a victory.
Pau Gasol also gave his best effort, scoring 30 points to go along with 7 boards. Shaquille O’Neal redeemed his poor performance on Thursday with a team high 33 points tonight on just 13-of-18 shooting . The Shaqtus also added 7 rebounds and 3 assists.
Leandro Barbosa continues to make the most of his newfound playing time, finishing with 22 points, 7 assists and 2 steals. Matt Barnes added a double-double, with 26 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists.
Richard Hamilton is doing the most he can while he has his old starting job back for a short period of time. Now that short period of time could turn into a permanent role of he keeps up his play.
Rip finished with 25 points, 9 assists and 6 rebounds to lead his struggling Pistons over the defending World Champs. Olympic Gold medalist Tayshaun Prince added 15 points, 8 boards and 3 assists.
Paul Pierce seemed like the only Celtic trying, scoring 26 points with 6 rebounds and 3 assists in the loss. Rajon Rondo added 8 points, 6 boards and 6 assists.
The Hawks were clearly the better team in this contest, but a questionable call at the end of regulation gave LeBron James the chance to win the game with free throws. He did.
King James finished with 26 points, 11 assists and 6 rebounds and point guard Mo Williams added 20 points. But surprisingly, James wasn’t the most fun player on the court to watch.
That honor belonged to Joe Johnson. The Hawk’s lone All-Star finished with 21 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Center Al Horford added 10 and 10 in the loss.
New Orleans 99, New Jersey 96
Chris Paul and David West are becoming one of the best 1-2 punches in the league. Paul took over in the final minute, putting the Hornets away for good.
CP3 finished with 14 points, 9 assists, 8 rebounds and 4 steals. Fellow all-star David West dropped a game 32 points while also collecting 11 boards.
The Nets were led by their two superstars, Devin Harris and Vince Carter. Both had 26 points, but Harris also added 14 assists.
San Antonio 84 - Portland 102
The Trailblazers made a statement tonight by beating the second-best team in the West, but the Spurs can always say they were missing Ginobili.
Brandon Roy continues to emerge as a leader of the team, finishing the game with 26 points and 2 assists. LaMarcus Aldridge also had 26 points to go along with 7 rebounds and 4 assists.
Tony Parker led the Spurs with 15 points and 4 assists. Tim Duncan had 14 and 4 in his return.
Other Finals:
Utah 112 - Golden State 104
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