The Bulls beat the 76ers in the early game but lost their MVP in the process, the Heat hammered the Knicks, Orlando hung on to top the Pacers and Kevin Durant ended the night with a wild, woolly and winning shot.
VIDEO: Kevin Durant Nails Game-Winner As Thunder Edge Mavericks In Game 1
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Read Article >2012 NBA Playoffs, Thunder Vs. Mavericks Final Score: Kevin Durant’s Game-Winner Sinks Dallas
Durant, who struggled all night, threw up a prayer from the free throw line that hit the rim, kissed the backboard, and fell in to give the Thunder a 99-98 victory. It gave him 25 points on the night (on 10-for-27 shooting), and gave Oklahoma City a 1-0 lead in the series.
Dallas controlled most of the game, leading for most of the fourth quarter and keeping Durant in check. But the spring-legged Thunder played suffocating defense in the dying throes of the fourth quarter and closed on a 14-6 run.
Read Article >2012 NBA Playoffs, Thunder Vs. Mavericks Score Update: Mavs Holding Lead In OKC
For more on the Thunder, visit SB Nation’s Thunder blog Welcome to Loud City. For more on the Mavericks, visit SB Nation’s Mavs Moneyball and SB Nation Dallas. For more on the 2012 NBA Playoffs check out SB Nation’s dedicated NBA hub.
Read Article >2012 NBA Playoffs, Thunder Vs. Mavericks, Halftime Score: Dallas Still Up On Road
For more on the Thunder, visit SB Nation’s Thunder blog Welcome to Loud City. For more on the Mavericks, visit SB Nation’s Mavs Moneyball and SB Nation Dallas. For more on the 2012 NBA Playoffs check out SB Nation’s dedicated NBA hub.
Read Article >2012 NBA Playoffs, Thunder Vs. Mavericks Score Update: Dallas Leads After First Quarter
For more on the Thunder, visit SB Nation’s Thunder blog Welcome to Loud City. For more on the Mavericks, visit SB Nation’s Mavs Moneyball and SB Nation Dallas. For more on the 2012 NBA Playoffs check out SB Nation’s dedicated NBA hub.
Read Article >VIDEO: Chris Duhon’s Travel Dance Wins Everything
Duhon wasn’t even in the game, but keep an eye on the background of this video. You’ll know Duhon when you see him.
Via @EyeOnBasketball
Read Article >NBA Playoffs 2012, Magic Vs. Pacers Final Score: Orlando Steals Game 1, 81-77
For more on the Orlando Magic, visit SB Nation’s Magic blog Orlando Pinstriped Post and SB Nation Tampa Bay. For more on the Indiana Pacers, visit SB Nation’s Pacers blog Indy Cornrows and SB Nation Indiana. For more on the 2012 NBA Playoffs check out SB Nation’s dedicated NBA hub.
Read Article >Roy Hibbert Stats Watch: Pacers’ Center Could Get Single-Game Playoff Block Record
Nine blocked shots through three quarters is pretty good. How good? If he just gets one blocked shot in the fourth quarter, he’ll tie the single-game playoff record.
For more on the Orlando Magic, visit SB Nation’s Magic blog Orlando Pinstriped Post and SB Nation Tampa Bay. For more on the Indiana Pacers, visit SB Nation’s Pacers blog Indy Cornrows and SB Nation Indiana. For more on the 2012 NBA Playoffs check out SB Nation’s dedicated NBA hub.
Read Article >Iman Shumpert Injury A Torn ACL, Knicks’ Guard Out For Playoffs, According To Report
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Read Article >NBA Playoffs 2012, Magic Vs. Pacers Score Update: Hot-Shooting Orlando Takes 51-44 Halftime Lead
For more on the Orlando Magic, visit SB Nation’s Magic blog Orlando Pinstriped Post and SB Nation Tampa Bay. For more on the Indiana Pacers, visit SB Nation’s Pacers blog Indy Cornrows and SB Nation Indiana. For more on the 2012 NBA Playoffs check out SB Nation’s dedicated NBA hub.
Read Article >Roy Hibbert Enjoys Not Having To Play Against Dwight Howard
VIDEO: Jeff Van Gundy, Lil Wayne Are Best Friends Now
At this point, you’re wondering what Van Gundy and Weezy have in common. According to Van Gundy, it sounds like they’re pretty much best friends. And that mental image is the best thing to happen today -- surely better than watching two players go down with significant knee injuries, at least.
Notice Van Gundy calls him “Little Weezy.” Weezy, your thoughts about all this?
Read Article >Knicks Vs. Heat, NBA Playoffs 2012: LeBron James Leads Miami To Game 1 Blowout
Making matters worse for the Knicks, promising rookie Iman Shumpert suffered a bad knee injury in the third quarter and did not return. Shumpert is tasked with guarding Wade so, if he misses an extended period of time, the Knicks are in trouble.
Game 2 is scheduled for Monday night at 7 p.m.
Read Article >ANIMATED: Dwyane Wade Brings The Circus To Miami
VIDEO: Iman Shumpert Injury Ends Knicks Rookie’s Game 1
The rookie guard writhed in pain as ABC went to commercial break; reporters in the arena tweeted that not only was Shumpert helped from the floor, but that a Knicks trainer held the back of the guard’s knee for support.
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Read Article >NBA Playoffs 2012: Heat Beating Snot Out Of Knicks Thanks To New York Miscues, Whistles
For more on the Knicks, visit Posting And Toasting and SB Nation New York. For more on the Heat, visit Peninsula Is Mightier.
Read Article >VIDEO: Tyson Chandler Called For Flagrant Foul On LeBron James, Jeff Van Gundy Says He Flopped
Jeff Van Gundy certainly thinks so and took to the airwaves to make his point.
James, for his part, said at halftime that he had a little “whiplash” in his neck, which explains his delayed reaction. The nerves can sometimes take a split second to manifest themselves, so it’s possible James didn’t feel the pain until he fell over.
Read Article >PHOTO: Keith Askins’ Outfit Has Phenomenal Swag
Derrick Rose Injury: Tom Thibodeau Explains Decision To Leave Rose In At End Of Game
The 76ers had cut Chicago’s lead down from 16 to 12 in the few possessions before the injury, so Thibodeau was technically right. That said, there was little chance that the 76ers could make up a 12-point deficit in a minute and 10 seconds. Thibodeau has a reputation for sticking with key players instead of resting them with the game out of hand, and it came back to bite him in this instance.
For more on the Bulls, visit Blog-a-Bull and SB Nation Chicago.
Read Article >GIF: Amare Stoudemire, Udonis Haslem Arguing About Hair, Probably
Things are getting to get really heated when Haslem sees Amare’s giant tattoo of Florida riddled with bullet holes.
Read Article >VIDEO: Derrick Rose Suffers Knee Injury Vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Rose’s teammates looked stunned as he was being tended to on the court. They all know that, despite their regular-season success, they have little chance to win the title if Rose is not healthy. Now, they must hope that the injury ends up not being serious.
For more on the Bulls, visit Blog-a-Bull and SB Nation Chicago.
Read Article >Bulls Vs. 76ers, NBA Playoffs 2012: Chicago Smokes Philly In Game 1, But Watch Derrick Rose Limp Off
For more on the Bulls, visit Blog-a-Bull and SB Nation Chicago.For more on the Sixers, please visit Liberty Ballers and SB Nation Philly. For full coverage of the series, follow our Bulls vs. Sixers StoryStream.
Read Article >Derrick Rose Injury: Bulls Star Hurts Knee In Closing Moments Of Game 1 Vs. Sixers
Rose walked off the court slowly with assistance after receiving attention from the Bulls’ medical crew. He received MVP chants and an ovation as he limped off.
Rose was driving to the bucket when he landed poorly and careened to the floor. There did not appear to be contact on the play -- Rose may have just twisted poorly in the air and landed wrong. Regardless, while the Bulls have played well without Rose this season, losing him would be awful for their title hopes.
Read Article >PHOTO: LeBron James Shaves Beard To Prepare For 2012 NBA Playoffs
Even if it turns out that all those demons weren’t stashed somewhere in his beard, at least LeBron is just a little more aerodynamic now.
Read Article >Tyson Chandler Status Update: Knicks Center To Start Vs. Miami Heat
Chandler is a very important player to the Knicks’ success, as he shoots 68 percent from the field and anchors their much-improved defense. With Chandler not at 100 percent, the Knicks’ chances of stealing Game 1 in Miami just got tougher.
For more on the Knicks, visit Posting And Toasting and SB Nation New York.
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