Chris Paul, Hornets
110-99 loss at Spurs
35 pts, 15-25 FG, 5-5 FT

Tony Parker, Spurs
110-99 win vs. Hornets
31 pts, 12-24 FG, 7-8 FT

Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Cavaliers
89-73 loss at Celtics
19 pts, 9-12 FG

After a sub-par Game 1, Tim Duncan has been improving since. After a solid effort in Game 2, which brought his series averages up to 12 points and six rebounds a game, Duncan notched his first double-double of the series on Thursday, scoring 16 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. But he also dished out three assists and racked up four blocks and one steal on the defensive side of the ball.

LeBron James, Cavaliers
89-73 loss at Celtics
21 pts, 6-24 FG, 0-4 3-pt FG

Jannero Pargo, Hornets
110-99 loss at Spurs
2 pts, 1-7 FG, 0-1 3-pt FG

Peja Stojakovic, Hornets
110-99 loss at Spurs
8 pts, 2-7 FG, 1-3 3-pt FG

The Spurs finally got a set A-list performances from the trio of stars on Thursday to avoid falling into the dreaded 0-3 hole with a 110-99 home win over the Hornets. While Chris Paul continued to turn the 2008 Playoffs into an extended coming out party, Tony Parker matched the third-year point guard’s performance shot for shot, while Tim Duncan chipped in his first double-double of the series and Manu Ginobili scored 31 points. Paul got off to a hot start after being named to his first All-NBA First Team, scoring 14 points in the first on the way to a game-high 35 points and nine assists. With Ginobili getting the start instead of Michael Finley, Parker and Paul spent much of the night locked up on each other with Parker matching Ginobili’s team-high 31 points and dishing out 11 assists. Duncan anchored the offense in the paint with 16 points and 13 rebounds. The Spurs will attempt to pull even in their series with Game 4 at home on Sunday.

It may not be pretty, but the Celtics’ defense continues to shut down opposing offenses in Boston. After giving up just 77 points a game while hosting the Hawks and holding the Cavaliers to 72 points in Game 1, Boston stepped up big again on Thursday, shutting down Cleveland’s offense again in an 89-73 home win. The Cavaliers jumped out to a 12-point first quarter lead behind Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who scored 10 of his 19 points in the first quarter, but the Celtics charged back when reserves Leon Powe and Sam Cassell checked into the game late in the first. Each scored nine points during the remainder of the first half as Boston built a 44-36 halftime advantage. All-Star Ray Allen continued his Game 1 struggles, going scoreless again in the first quarter, but he immediately broke out of the slump after halftime to score 11 of his 16 points in the third quarter. The series moves to Cleveland on Saturday as Boston tries to maintain defensive composure on the road.

The Spurs looked flat for two games in New Orleans at the start of the Western Conference Semifinals, so Gregg Popovich switched up his lineup as the series moved to San Antonio for Game 3. Starting Manu Ginobili and bringing Michael Finley in off the bench, both players responded. Ginobili blew up for 31 points and six assists, while Finley kept the Spurs in shouting distance by scoring all 11 of his points in the first half.

After an 82-game season, few players are actually healthy heading into the playoffs and even fewer make it through the playoffs. Manu Ginobili’s ankle was only about “80 percent” while he scored 31 points on Thursday. Ben Wallace left Game 2 in Boston with dizziness after three minutes of game action and never returned, while Chauncey Billups is still unsure if he’ll be able to suit up for the Pistons after suffering a strained hamstring.

One night can be written of as a fluke, but now Cleveland fans have to be worried. Armed with amazing team defense, the Celtics have cut off LeBron James from the lane and successfully forced him to settle for outside jump shots for two full games. James was named to the All-NBA First Team, but has looked anything but in this series -- shooting 8-of-42, or just 19 percent, from the floor.