D-Wade scores 41, forces Game 7
Dwyane Wade (photo. Mannion)
Are the Hawks just ultra-confident that they’ll win any Game Seven in their own gym? Because with a chance to eliminate D-Wade and the Heat last night, ATL came out, as Mark Jackson put it, like they had some kind of cushion. True, the Hawks were essentially missing two starters (Al Horford out; Marvin Williams played five minutes), and generally they were not a good road team this year. But execution and effort are two different things … As early as the first quarter, Mike Woodson was yelling at his guys about slacking on D, and called them out for it publicly in his between-quarters interview. The team didn’t execute in the first half and trailed by nine at the break, and at some point during Miami’s 16-2 run to open the third quarter that pretty much ended it, the Hawks gave up … With seven minutes left in the game, Miami was up 23 and the announcers were questioning whether Erik Spoelstra was doing the right thing by keeping Wade on the court. Right at that moment, Wade (41 pts, 16-17 FT) skated into the lane and smashed a dunk on Zaza Pachulia’s face, and-one. Next possession, he crossed up Joe Johnson (13 pts, 6-14 FG) and hit a fadeaway floater, and-one. And the next possession, Wade got another clear-out but airballed a three. After a TV timeout, Wade committed a foul as soon as the ball was put in play, leaving to a standing O … So Miami fans tend to not stick around for the end of home games in which their team is getting blown out, but apparently everybody kept the TV on to watch the end of the Heat’s Game Five blowout loss. Josh Smith (7 pts, 3-13 FG, 10 rebs, 3 blks) was getting booed every time he blinked — which isn’t often — and the crowd went nuts whenever he missed a shot or showed his frustration … Not sure if he was being swayed by the fans or what, but Mike Breen sounded like he actually hates Josh Smith. When Smith got into a nothing spat with Jamaal Magloire in the fourth, Breen was the first one hollering, “Take him out of there!” And when Jeff Van Gundy jokingly asked if J-Smoove would be telling Magloire to “come on” if they were in an alley without refs and players to get in the way, Breen answered, “You’re right.” … To add to the fight potential for Game Seven, Mario Chalmers and Mike Bibby exchanged glares in the second half. With Chalmers (9 pts, 8 asts, 5 stls) being extra-physical with Bibby (20 pts, 7 rebs) on some off-ball contact, Bibby may or may not have tried to kick the rookie in the nuts, and he definitely hit Chalmers on the leg with a balled-up fist. It wasn’t quite a punch, though, so it shouldn’t be a big deal …
Josh Smith (photo. adidas)
Nothing was going right for Atlanta. They couldn’t score to save their lives, meanwhile on the other end Michael Beasley (22 pts, 15 rebs) was tossing (accidental) passes to himself off the side of the backboard and cruising in for dunks. On one possession Johnson actually played fantastic defense on Wade, keeping a determined Wade from getting past the three-point line for like 20 seconds; but then as soon as J.J. recovered the ball, he threw it right to Chalmers for a turnover … Joel Anthony deserves some credit for being kind of a beast. At least twice he decked somebody on the Hawks with a screen and put them on their ass, he swatted three shots, and he was diving on the floor for loose balls even when Miami was working on a 30-piecing … The day after he was talking nonsense about Orlando being better without Dwight Howard (it’s like a boxer saying crazy stuff like, “I had him where I wanted him” after he just got flattened), Andre Miller reportedly skipped the Sixers’ final team meeting of the season. That’s not a good sign for Philly if they were planning to re-up with ‘Dre in the offseason. At 33 years old, if he wants to contend for a championship, he’s not even looking their way. Would Miller fit in with the Lakers? Houston? Portland? What about Dallas if they lose Jason Kidd (likely to the Lakers)? … In another sign of the recession, the Jazz announced they’ve pulled the plug on the Rocky Mountain Revue summer league. Team president Randy Rigby said the NBA teams who competed in both the RMR and the more popular Vegas Summer League were choosing to only go to Vegas this year for money reasons, but he did leave the door open for the RMR to return in 2010. That’s huge news for guys like J.R. Giddens and Darrell Arthur and JaVale McGee and the incoming rooks who need that extra work … Game Seven of Celtics/Bulls is today. Who do you got? With so much hype, we’re just hoping this isn’t a re-run of last year’s Celtics/Hawks blowout … We’re out like Miller …
May 2nd, 2009 at 12:05 am
POPPI GEE says:
Got that Smack out early! Hahaha! Yea I see game 7 breaking out into a fight at some point. Wade was just on fire. Hawks look like some real punks when they take L’s.
Somehow they should have had more than 1 game!
May 2nd, 2009 at 12:07 am
POPPI GEE says:
more than 1 game on tv I mean, that is why the playoffs should include more teams. Draw it out. Never enough basketball!
May 2nd, 2009 at 12:10 am
marcus the great says:
i’m gettin my DirecTV installed Sunday morning, so i’m real happy i’ll get to see Heat/Hawks game 7, but pretty disappointed that i’ll miss Bulls/Celtics…
May 2nd, 2009 at 12:13 am
marcus the great says:
yahoo recaps aint cuttin it for me no more!
May 2nd, 2009 at 12:16 am
Ashlov says:
While the Hawks were missing Horford and Williams, the Heat were missing Jermaine O’Neal and Jamario Moon. No excuses.
Glad to see Josh Smith show his true colors once again. Can someone please sponsor him into the Big Brother program? Beasley might be goofy, but Smith is just absolutely immature.
Looks like Wade is feeling just fine, which means the Hawks are in for some shit on Sunday. To quote Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto after the attack on Pearl Harbor, “I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve.” Good job, J-Smoove. Reap what you sow.
May 2nd, 2009 at 12:25 am
POPPI GEE says:
Oh yea I got Boston gettin it and it not really being that close cause the crowd will be nuts and them boys are coming for it!
Baby Bulls did great though! Funny how 2 years straight Boston brings out the best in teams and even lets them see that they can compete even better than they know.
Boston needs to make, find, beg or plead for a way to get KG out there somehow.
May 2nd, 2009 at 12:44 am
Eduardo says:
AS I’ve said before,I truly believe the Bulls will surprise everybody. I say this cuz the team has a lot of crazyness,and I have this feeling that this crazyness will work just right and they’ll win.
I’m not Nostradamus man but I’m sensing this one…
May 2nd, 2009 at 12:48 am
the_don_mega says:
that shot that bease put up that hit the side of the backboard was prolly the ugliest shot i’ve ever seen in a while… lucky for him it turned out to be an assist for himself…
May 2nd, 2009 at 1:40 am
quest?? says:
dallas already has their guard of the future and his name is jj barea
May 2nd, 2009 at 1:52 am
knock knock says:
by far wade falls on the damn floor for no reason. amazing that the refs are calling ticky tacky fouls every time wade jumps into the lane– getting about 20 freethrows? are you f***ing kidding me? wade aint that special to watch unless you like watching someone shoot freethrows all damn game with a couple shots every now and then. miami in 7 as wade won’t be getting that home cooking from the blind mice
May 2nd, 2009 at 2:33 am
the mamba says:
willis reed replay today??
May 2nd, 2009 at 2:34 am
the mamba says:
… or should i say reinactment
May 2nd, 2009 at 3:03 am
Mike Titan says:
Where’s all that noise from the other night? F the bulls%#$, the Heat put it in the Hawks again without Jermaine O’Neal.
Knock Knock is sounding like another fgt hating on Wade because he’s putting up numbers. So he goes 16-17 on the line, take all that away and he’s still dropping 25 points which is more than Hoe Johnson and Josh Smith put together.
The only people whose game I respect in Atl is Mike Bibby’s and Al Horford’s. Put these cats on a better team with some real ball players and not some 1-on-1 type trash.
May 2nd, 2009 at 3:20 am
jackass says:
you heard it here first bitchezzzz. both game 7’s are gonna be such a disappointment with home teams dominating like hell.
May 2nd, 2009 at 4:40 am
mumadone says:
The Euroleague final four didn’t happen for you guys yesterday? I can understand if there was like a trippleheader on last night……
May 2nd, 2009 at 5:24 am
John says:
Wade will drop 50 and the game winner. I always bet in the best player to being capable to win 1 game. Atlanta should have won this series in 5 or 6, now they have to win game 7 with a lot a pressure and the best player is against them. If the Heat start to hit the 3 pt and JO do some shit , Wade migt go for 40 ptos 15 assist stat line. Lebron might receive his MVP trophy in front of D-Wade in game 2, and Stearn wants that. Me too.
May 2nd, 2009 at 6:47 am
sans says:
Man, regular people in ATL and Miami are gonna start lookin cross-eyed at each other after this series…Funniest moment of my life came this week. I was all sick on the couch after class, tryin to get better, and my wife, OUT OF NOWHERE, wants to go watch basketball at the bar….then comes home talking reckless about the Bulls, whom she can’t name a player on the team, while I slept thru 3 overtimes on Nyquil…where amazing happens.
May 2nd, 2009 at 8:10 am
that's whats up says:
@ post 7
I’m pretty sure Nostradamus predicted off the wall events hundreds of years in the future, not 50/50 chances in an already scheduled event.
I like the Bulls if it comes down to the wire, but having said that, this is GAME 7 and the Celtics are proven - it could be an early blowout from the emotion in the “Garden” or whatever its called. I hope not. I want the first 6 overtime game in Game 7 history
As for Miami/Atlanta - who really gives a crap anyway.
Two shit teams fighting it out for the honor of losing in the next round
….I need coffee - it’s early…..
May 2nd, 2009 at 8:59 am
QQ says:
@ 13:
Dominate like hell? Disappointment? Weren’t those the same words assholes like you were saying at the beginning of the Chicago-Boston series? That the Bulls stand no chance, that their momentum in the reg.season won’t translate in the playoffs because the C’s are just too good, etc. What happened?
The moral of the story: WATCH THE FUCKING GAMES. You never know what will happen. The Bulls might lose by 50, The Celts might be destroyed by 60, Scalabrine might score 8O… You never know what will happen so give us all a favor and shut the fuck up.
May 2nd, 2009 at 9:55 am
rick 773 says:
Lotta hostility in here I see. If it wasn’t obvious I’m rolling with the Bulls. Conventional wisdom says the C’s when but nothing about this series has been conventional so I expect huge games from the ROOK and Ty Thomas(lol yeah I said it)
May 2nd, 2009 at 9:58 am
Spliff 2 My Lou says:
@sans
You got the swine flu?
May 2nd, 2009 at 10:12 am
jzsmoove says:
BULLS…they are tougher hungry team right now
HAWKS…their fans deserve this shit, the fans are starved in the ATL
May 2nd, 2009 at 10:14 am
dk says:
MV3, MV3, MV3, MV3!
May 2nd, 2009 at 10:20 am
dk says:
When Wade takes down the Hawks on the road, it will be BS when big baby LeBron gets his MVP award… ” Build a team around me or ill leave town ” wah!!! Its all about the money….. Wade = blood, swea
May 2nd, 2009 at 10:38 am
Kudabeen says:
Andre Miller with the Blazers would be a perfect fit…So many young guys to run the floor with and toss lobs to…
The only flaw is he doesn’t hit the outside shots as well and Roy initiates their offense a lot, but that is minor…
Sixers were killing each other and Dileo in the press (sorta)…Ratliff said the coaching was too soft and didn’t properly prepare the team, Dre I said the young guys were playing for themselves, and you see what Miller is feeling.
May 2nd, 2009 at 11:13 am
biglang liko says:
@ DK, Kobe also did that “Build a team around me or i’ll leave town” so get it straightened out.
And if you’re the franchise player, wouldn’t you demand good players also? Ask CP3, Deron, and even D-Wade about this. They’re busting their backs carrying their sorry teams.
May 2nd, 2009 at 11:20 am
QQ says:
I guess the Sixers situation is really messed up. I mean, with Andre Miller talking bout the Magic being better without Dwight and all this shit, it’s really fucked up down there.
And to think people were saying that they were the better team compared to the Magic. HAHAHAHAHAHA.
May 2nd, 2009 at 11:33 am
Balla says:
I think its official…I would put Joe Johnson in the same category as I say about Allen Iverson (kind of like Charles Barkley said), where he would have to be the second or third option on the team. Both players would have more success on the winning end if they were sixth men (like Ginobli).
Yes, they are both talented, but they both lack key pieces to their game to carry a team to that next level.
AI - Great player, but lacks size and still doesn’t trust his teammates in key points of games.
JJ - Good player, but disappears too much when needed most. He is also too fundamentally sound, where he looks scared to breakout a legit move (other than that old average crossover) to get his defender off of him. He needs more moves in his game.
May 2nd, 2009 at 11:37 am
Big Island says:
Didn’t Wade get a ring with Shaq awhile back dk? If killing your team for a couple of years to get Shaq isn’t a “build a team around me” move then what is?
May 2nd, 2009 at 1:15 pm
Scoob says:
Wade needs some help.
Atlanta needs to grow up and to invest in a better coach. A coach that can teach them how to play basketball. A lot of talent that’s going to continue to go nowhere if not developed right. They have the tools to develop into a Detroit like team pre Iverson. The only need a defensive minded coach and pg to get it poppin.
I’m rooting for my man Steph, but I really can’t stand anything Boston. NYC till the casket drops…
Let’s go baby BullS!
May 2nd, 2009 at 1:18 pm
K Dizzle says:
Only dude lovin the Sixers situation gotta be Elton Brand. You can run and gun like Phoenix durin the regular season but playoff time, when you gotta slow it down and get the ugly baskets, the tough boards and the low post d, you need more than Dalambert and Mo Speights, though the kid got potential. Just like the Rockets gonna need TMac, Sixers coulda used EB.
May 2nd, 2009 at 6:27 pm
sans says:
@ Spliff
I don’t think so, but I’ve had 800 people suggest it already.
May 2nd, 2009 at 10:45 pm
quest?? says:
DAMNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN BEN GORDON KILLED THE BULLS WITH THAT ILL ADVISED THREE
May 2nd, 2009 at 10:55 pm
QQ says:
@ 33:
I was thinking the exact same thing.
May 2nd, 2009 at 11:02 pm
QQ says:
The Celtics are flexing and talking trash like they won the fucking championship. Reminder: This is the FIRST ROUND. You are SUPPOSED to beat the Bulls. Fuck the Celtics.
May 2nd, 2009 at 11:08 pm
? says:
THE CELTICS DISGUSTED ME THIS IS DISGUSTING HOW IN THE WORLD IS EDDIE HOUSE RUNNING HIS MOUTH WHY ARE THEY JUMPING AROUND LIKE THEY WON THE CHIP HOW IN THE WORLD CAN YOU BE HAPPY WITH WINNING A CLOSE GAME 7 TO A TEAM YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BEAT IN LIKE 4 OR 5 GAMES THEYRE GONNA GET CRUSHED IN THE NEXT RUN THEN I WANNA SEE EDDIE HOUSE TALK TRASH SMH CELTICS ARE SUSPECT
May 2nd, 2009 at 11:33 pm
E$ says:
http://i41.tinypic.com/bjgvpj.jpg
May 3rd, 2009 at 12:22 am
Kirk Hinrich says:
MEMO TO BEN GORDON:
You Might Have Had 33 point but you did it in 7 for 23 shots. YOU ARE NOT KOBE FUCKING BRYANT!Pass the fucking ball next time, YOU ARE NOT SPIDERMAN, YOUR HANDS DO NOT STICK TO THE BALL……… I CANT BELIEVE THEY BENCHED ME FOR THIS MIDGET.
May 3rd, 2009 at 4:09 pm
T.J. says:
6-8 from deep! Bangin shots from the parking lot! Dag, JJ really shut yall up this game