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| Date | Player | News |
| 5/17/2008 | LeBron James, SF (Cle) | James scored 32 points - 19 in the second half - and the Cavaliers forced a decisive and fitting finale to this home-sweet-home playoff series with a 74-69 victory Friday night over the Celtics. Analysis: James is only shooting 32.5 percent for the series in six games, but is averaging 23.7 points, 7.8 assists and 6.7 rebounds and is the main reason the Cavaliers will have a chance to advance to the Eastern Conference finals for the second straight year on Sunday. |
| 5/17/2008 | Kevin Garnett, F (Bos) | Garnett had 25 points and eight rebounds on Friday, but it wasn't enough for Boston to get its first road win of the playoffs. The Cavaliers beat the Celtics 74-69 in Cleveland to force a Game 7 on Sunday in Boston. Analysis: Garnett is averaging 20.7 points and 10.5 rebounds while shooting 56.7 percent for the series, but has often disappeared in the fourth quarter. |
| 5/17/2008 | Kobe Bryant, SG (LAL) | Bryant scored 34 points and Los Angeles held off a furious rally by the Utah Jazz for a 108-105 victory Friday night, putting the Lakers in the Western Conference finals for the first time in four years. Analysis: Bryant is averaging a league-leading 33.3 points in the playoffs to go along with 6.8 assists and 6.3 rebounds. He averaged 33.2 points in the six games against the Jazz. |
| 5/17/2008 | Deron Williams, PG (Uta) | Williams scored 21 points and had 14 assists on Friday, but missed a 3-pointer that would have tied the game in the closing seconds of Utah's 108-105 loss to the Lakers, which gave Los Angeles a 4-2 series win. Analysis: Williams averaged 21.6 points and 10.0 assists in 12 playoff games. |
| 5/16/2008 | David West, PF (NO) | West left the court after aggravating a back injury Thursday night in the fourth quarter of Game 6 against the San Antonio Spurs. Analysis: West, who played with back pain in Game 5, fell to the floor with 10:11 left after being picked from behind by Spurs forward Robert Horry, who was called for an offensive foul. Laying face down on the floor, West put his left arm behind him and rested it on his lower back before going to the locker room. |
| 5/16/2008 | Dikembe Mutombo, C (Hou) | Mutombo still isn't ready to retire. ``I'm going to consider to keep playing basketball. The next part will be to tell my lawyer, David Falk,'' Mutombo said in Thursday's online edition of the Houston Chronicle. ``My body and my mind is responding to the thrill of the game. The coaches and the fans and everyone are in there.'' Analysis: Mutombo, listed at 42 years old, had considered retiring last year and then decided to play one more season. During the season, he said he would wait until the offseason to discuss his options. His return would depend on a contract agreement with the Rockets. Mutombo averaged three points and 5.1 rebounds last season. |
| 5/16/2008 | Andrei Kirilenko, F (Uta) | Kirilenko missed practice Thursday because of a travel visa, a day before Utah faced the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals. Analysis: Agent Marc Fleisher said Kirilenko had to finalize a travel visa for a family trip to France this summer and Thursday was the only day he could do it without having to wait another month. Fleisher said Kirilenko, who is a Russian citizen, told the Jazz ahead of time about the conflict and was given permission to miss practice. Kirilenko was still expected to start Friday night. |
| 5/16/2008 | Fabricio Oberto, C (SA) | Oberto started and had four points and four rebounds in San Antonio's 99-80 win over New Orleans in Game 6 of the teams' Western Conference semifinal series. Analysis: Oberto started the first two playoff games before Spurs coach Gregg Popovich switched to Kurt Thomas for the next eight. |
| 5/16/2008 | Tim Duncan, F-C (SA) | Duncan had 20 points and 15 rebounds in San Antonio's 99-80 win over New Orleans in Game 6 of the teams' Western Conference semifinal series. Analysis: It was Duncan's fourth straight double-double and ninth in 11 playoff games this season. He is averaging 19.5 points and 13.3 rebounds in the postseason. |
| 5/15/2008 | Chauncey Billups, PG (Det) | Billups has practiced with the Detroit Pistons and is expected to be ready to play in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals. Analysis: Detroit coach Flip Saunders says Billups looked good enough in practice Thursday that he could have played if there was a game. Billups missed the last two games against the Orlando Magic in the second round with a strained right hamstring. |
| 5/15/2008 | Daniel Gibson, G (Cle) | Gibson will miss Game 6 of Cleveland's playoff against the Boston Celtics after separating his left shoulder during the second half Wednesday night. Analysis: Gibson, one of the Cavs' best perimeter shooters, left early in the fourth quarter following a collision and did not return. The team estimated he would miss one to two weeks. The Cavaliers trail 3-2 in the best-of-seven series and could be eliminated Friday night. Gibson emerged as a star in Game 6 of last year's Eastern Conference finals against Detroit. |
| 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. |
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