| NBA Player News |
| Date |
Player |
News |
| 5/14/2008 |
Dwight Howard, C (Orl) |
Howard had 14 points, 17 rebounds and three blocked shots, but was just 6-for-15 from the free-throw line as the Magic were eliminated from the playoffs with a 91-86 loss to the Pistons in Game 5 of their second-round playoff series on Tuesday night.
Analysis: Howard had a breakout 2007-08 season, averaging career highs in scoring (20.7), rebounds (14.2) and blocks (2.1). However, his poor shooting from the line continues to haunt him. He shot 59.0 percent during the regular season, and made just 45 of 83 attempts (54.2 percent) in the playoffs. |
| 5/14/2008 |
Hedo Turkoglu, G-F (Orl) |
Turkoglu had 18 points, nine rebounds and seven assists as the Magic were eliminated from the playoffs with a 91-86 loss to the Pistons in Game 5 of their second-round playoff series on Tuesday night.
Analysis: Turkoglu averaged 17.5 points, 6.4 rebounds and 5.5 assists during the playoffs - right on par with his regular-season statistics that earned him the NBA's Most Improved Player award. |
| 5/14/2008 |
Rashard Lewis, F (Orl) |
Lewis was held to 14 points and 4-for-13 shooting while committing six turnovers as the Magic were eliminated from the playoffs with a 91-86 loss to the Pistons in Game 5 of their second-round playoff series on Tuesday night.
Analysis: The Magic agreed to give Lewis a max contract in a sign-and-trade deal with Seattle in the offseason, hoping his perimeter shooting ability would help prevent another early playoff exit. While the Magic advanced to the second round for the first time since 1996, Lewis shot only 43.6 percent from the field and 30.9 percent from 3-point range in the playoffs - down from 45.5 percent and 40.9 percent, respectively, in the regular season. |
| 5/14/2008 |
Tyson Chandler, C (NO) |
Chandler had to be helped to the bench after dropping to the floor with a bruised left foot in the fourth quarter of New Orleans' 101-79 playoff victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday night.
Analysis: Chandler's leg appeared to buckle as he came out to the perimeter on the Hornets' defensive end. He stayed down while Manu Ginobili made a driving layup and the Hornets had to call timeout after getting the ball back with 8:47 to go, leading 78-65. He did not return. Hornets coach Byron Scott said after the game that Chandler was in obvious pain, but he did not expect him to miss Game 6 in San Antonio. |
| 5/14/2008 |
David West, PF (NO) |
West had career playoff highs of 38 points, 14 rebounds and five blocked shots, lifting New Orleans to a 101-79 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday night and a 3-2 series lead.
Analysis: The best playoff performance of West's young career came in spite of back pain that bothered the All-Star forward throughout the game. A trainer put an ice pack on West's back after he left the game in the final minutes. Hornets coach Byron Scott said West was in obvious pain, but he did not expect West to miss Game 6 in San Antonio. |
| 5/14/2008 |
Chris Paul, PG (NO) |
Paul had 22 points and 14 assists, overcoming shooting struggles to help lift the Hornets to a 101-79 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday night and a 3-2 series lead.
Analysis: Though he was 6-for-18 from the field, Paul delivered his seventh double-double of the postseason. He's clearly the catalyst for the New Orleans offense, but the Hornets have gone 3-1 in the playoffs in games in which Paul shoots below 45.0 percent. |
| 5/14/2008 |
Tim Duncan, F-C (SA) |
Duncan had 23 rebounds, but was held to 10 points and 5-for-18 shooting from the field as the Spurs lost 101-79 to the Hornets on Tuesday night to fall behind 3-2 in the series.
Analysis: The 23 rebounds were the most for Duncan in a playoff game since he had 24 in a win over Dallas on May 23, 2003. However, Duncan's offensive game was held in check by Tyson Chandler's defense. After shooting 49.5 percent from the field in the first round against Phoenix, Duncan is shooting 43.8 percent in this series. |
| 5/14/2008 |
Manu Ginobili, SG (SA) |
Ginobili had team highs of 20 points and seven assists, but was held to 5-for-15 shooting from the field as the Spurs lost 101-79 to the Hornets on Tuesday night to fall behind 3-2 in the series.
Analysis: Ginobili is averaging 19.6 points and 7.0 assists in the series, but is shooting an unimpressive 43.2 percent from the field - down from 46.0 during the regular season. |
| 5/13/2008 |
Al Horford, F-C (Atl) |
Horford and league Rookie of the Year Kevin Durant headlined the NBA All-Rookie team announced Tuesday.
Analysis: Horford was the only unanimous choice with 58 votes, followed by Seattle's Durant with 57 in balloting by the league's head coaches. Horford ranked first among rookies in double-doubles (25) and rebounds (9.7), helping the Hawks end the league's longest postseason drought with their first playoff berth since 1999. |
| 5/13/2008 |
Kevin Durant, G-F (Sea) |
Durant and Atlanta's Al Horford headlined the NBA All-Rookie team announced Tuesday.
Analysis: Horford was the only unanimous choice with 58 votes, followed by Seattle's Durant with 57 in balloting by the league's head coaches. The NBA Rookie of the Year led the SuperSonics with 20.3 points per game, 7.6 more than any other rookie. He was the only first-year player to lead his team in five categories - points, blocks, steals, free throws made and free throw percentage. Durant blocked more shots than any other guard in the league (75). |
| 5/13/2008 |
Luis Scola, F-C (Hou) |
Scola was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team on Tuesday.
Analysis: The 28-year-old Scola averaged 10.3 points and 6.4 rebounds during the regular season, and 14.0 and 9.3, respectively, during the playoffs. Scola started 39 of 82 games, and all six of his postseason appearances. |
| 5/13/2008 |
Jeff Green, F (Sea) |
Green was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team on Tuesday.
Analysis: Green averaged 10.5 points and 4.7 rebounds, while starting 52 of 80 regular-season games for the SuperSonics. He was the fifth-leading scorer on the Sonics, who were led by NBA Rookie of the Year and fellow All-Rookie teammate Kevin Durant (10.5). |
| 5/13/2008 |
Al Thornton, F (LAC) |
Thornton was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team on Tuesday
Analysis: Thornton averaged 12.7 points and 4.5 rebounds, while starting 31 of 79 regular-season games for the Clippers. |
| 5/13/2008 |
Chauncey Billups, PG (Det) |
Billups said his right hamstring was not healthy enough to help the Detroit Pistons in Game 5 of their second-round series with the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night.
Analysis: "My improvement from yesterday to today was amazing, but I still haven't been able to sprint full court and that's a concern,"Billups said. "I'm getting better, but I'm not quite ready yet." Detroit replaced Billups in the starting lineup with rookie Rodney Stuckey with veteran Lindsey Hunter backing him up. Billups was hurt early in Game 3 and did not play the following game, which Detroit won to take a 3-1 lead in the series. |
| 5/13/2008 |
Robert Horry, PF (SA) |
Horry set an NBA record by appearing in his 238th playoff game during Game 5 of San Antonio's series against New Orleans on Tuesday night.
Analysis: Coming into the playoffs, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar held the previous record for playoff appearances with 237. Horry, in his 16th season, has been in the playoffs in all of them, winning two championships apiece with the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs and three with the Los Angeles Lakers. |
| 5/13/2008 |
Richard Hamilton, SG (Det) |
Hamilton had 31 points, thanks in part to 16-for-16 shooting from the free-throw line, as the Pistons advanced to the Eastern Conference finals for the sixth consecutive season with a 91-86 win over the Magic on Tuesday night.
Analysis: Hamilton is leading the Pistons in scoring with 21.5 points per game in the playoffs, and has made 54 of his 59 free-throw attempts (91.5 percent) in those 10 games. |
| 5/13/2008 |
Antonio McDyess, PF (Det) |
McDyess had 17 points and 11 rebounds as the Pistons advanced to the Eastern Conference finals for the sixth consecutive season with a 91-86 win over the Magic on Tuesday night.
Analysis: Moved into the starting lineup for the last two games of the series as part of Detroit's adjustment to the absence of injured point guard Chauncey Billups, McDyess totaled 25 points and 25 rebounds while going 10-for-17 from the field. |
| 5/12/2008 |
LeBron James, SF (Cle) |
James had 21 points, six rebounds, 13 assists, three steals and two blocked shots as the Cavaliers beat the Celtics 88-77 in Game 4 on Monday night to tie the best-of-seven series at 2-2.
Analysis: James' 13 assists matched his playoff career high set in the first round against Washington and helped the Cavaliers overcome another tough shooting performance from their superstar. James was 7-for-20 on Monday and is 20-for-78 (25.6 percent) from the field in this series. |
| 5/12/2008 |
Daniel Gibson, G (Cle) |
Gibson had 14 points, six rebounds and four assists as the Cavaliers beat the Celtics 88-77 in Game 4 on Monday night to tie the best-of-seven series at 2-2.
Analysis: Gibson had totaled only 12 points, two rebounds and four assists in the first three games of this series. He averaged 11.8 points in the first round against the Wizards. |
| 5/12/2008 |
Paul Pierce, G-F (Bos) |
Pierce was held to 13 points and 6-for-17 shooting as the Celtics lost Game 4 against the Cavaliers 88-77 on Monday night to fall into a 2-2 tie in their second-round playoff series. It was their fifth loss in as many road playoff games.
Analysis: Pierce is averaging 13.0 points and shooting 35.9 percent from the field in eight meetings with the Cavaliers in 2007-08, including 12.5 points and 34.6 percent shooting in this series. |
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