|
|
|
April 22, 2006
Shaquille O'Neal carried much of the load early, but Dwyane Wade picked up his play late on Saturday. O'Neal, who had 21 points through three periods as Miami built the lead up to 14 points, finished with 27 and 16 rebounds. But the Bulls stormed back to take the lead, and Wade responded. He scored 14 points in the final frame, including a jumper with 2:46 to play that extended the margin back to five points. He sank four free throws to help the Heat hold on for a 111-106 win and a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. He tallied 30 points, 11 assists and nine Nestlé Crunch Time points.
Wade gets hot late:
Video
First Round
April | March | February | January | December | November
What is the Crunch Time Stat?
| |
|
|
April 23, 2006
When the visiting Lakers overcame a 14-point deficit to grab a one-point lead in the fourth quarter of Sunday's Game 1, reigning MVP Steve Nash kept his cool and carried the second-seeded Suns to victory. Nash scored seven of his 20 points in the final 8:10, including a dagger trey with a brand new shot clock and just 1:07 left that pushed Phoenix's edge from three point to six in a 107-102 playoff win. He sank two more free throws to finish 8-of-8 from the stripe, added 10 assists, and tallied nine Nestlé Crunch Time points for his efforts.
Nash seals the deal:
Video
First Round
April | March | February | January | December | November
What is the Crunch Time Stat?
| |
|
|
April 24, 2006
With the Heat up by as many as 20 and by 15 with six minutes left, they probably didn't think they'd need any more Dwyane Wade heroics. But in a run reminiscent of Saturday's Game 1, the visiting Bulls stormed back in the final minutes. Wade ensured that Miami would maintain its home-court advantage, hitting a jumper to extend the bulge to nine points with 1:47 on the clock. After Chicago scored five straight to cut the lead to just four, Wade struck again, nailing a jumper with 1:04 remaining. The star guard also rejected a Ben Gordon layup attempt in the Heat's 115-108 Game 2 win. He finished with eight Nestlé Crunch Time points in all.
Wade holds off the charge:
Video
First Round
April | March | February | January | December | November
What is the Crunch Time Stat?
| |
|
|
April 25, 2006
The defending champion Spurs were in danger of heading to Sacramento with only a split in their first-round series before Manu Ginobili took matters into his own hands in overtime on Tuesday. San Antonio's Brent Barry hit a 3-pointer with 4.9 seconds left in regulation to force the extra period and Ginobili assisted on Tony Parker's reverse layup with 3:18 remaining, putting the Spurs ahead for good at 114-113. The Argentinian guard hit all three free throws 40 seconds later and completed a three-point play with 1:41 to go, extending the lead to 119-113. He finished with 32 points and nine assists. Ginobili's late-game heroics led the Spurs to a 128-119 win and a 2-0 series lead. He racked up 15 total Nestlé Crunch Time points.
Ginobili sparkles in overtime:
Video
First Round
April | March | February | January | December | November
What is the Crunch Time Stat?
| |
|
|
April 26, 2006
With the Lakers sitting in a 1-0 hole and facing a furious Phoenix charge in the final minutes of Wednesday's Game 2, Smush Parker notched his biggest basket of the evening. After the Suns had sliced a 15-point halftime deficit to just three in the fourth quarter despite 19 second-half points from Kobe Bryant, the Lakers appeared to turn the ball over when a Bryant pass bounced off of Kwame Brown's hands. But after a scramble for the loose ball, Lamar Odom found Parker for layup that put L.A. up five with just 49.3 seconds left. The Lakers held on for a 99-93 win and will head back to Hollywood with the series squared at one game apiece. Parker tallied six Nestlé Crunch Time points.
Smush off the scramble:
Video
First Round
April | March | February | January | December | November
What is the Crunch Time Stat?
| |
|
|
April 27, 2006
No team has ever recovered from a 3-0 playoff series deficit, and the Nuggets were not about to take aim at history. After dropping the first two games of their first-round matchup with the Clippers, Carmelo Anthony and Co. returned home Thursday and jumped out to an 11-point first-quarter lead before L.A. fought back to forge a tie at the start of the final frame. But as he did all regular season, Anthony led his team with a game-high 24 points, two of which came on a driving layup with 1:51 remaining that pushed Denver's lead to four. He came away with two clutch rebounds, as well, sealing a 94-87 victory and pulling the Nuggets back into the series. For his efforts, Anthony banked eight Nestlé Crunch Time Points.
Carmelo comes up clutch:
Video
First Round
April | March | February | January | December | November
What is the Crunch Time Stat?
| |
|
|
April 28, 2006
With the series headed back to Washington deadlocked at 1-1, LeBron James took it upon himself to reclaim home-court advantage in his first road playoff game for the Cavaliers. James' driving layup with 1:49 remaining in the fourth period brought his team within two. Then, with 30 ticks left on the clock, James converted another powerful drive to put the Cavs up two. Finally, with 5.7 left to play, James nailed an up-and-under double-clutch layup to seal the 97-96 Game 3 victory on Friday. LeBron put his team up 2-1, set a record for most points in road playoff debut and tallied 10 Nestlé Crunch Time Points.
LeBron goes to work:
Video
First Round
April | March | February | January | December | November
What is the Crunch Time Stat?
| |
|
|
April 29, 2006
On Saturday, the only thing standing between the Memphis Grizzlies and the first playoff victory in franchise history turned out to be Dirk Nowitzki. With Memphis leading by three and time winding down in the fourth quarter, Nowitzki corralled a long rebound at the top of the 3-point arc and buried a heavily contested trey with 15.7 seconds remaining, tying the score and sending Game 4 into overtime. Dirk's dagger, along with a pair of jumpers in the extra frame, ignited Dallas to an 18-13 OT edge and a dramatic 94-89 win that pushed its series lead to 3-0. Nowitzki finished with 36 points and nine rebounds. He also banked 14 Nestlé Crunch Time Points.
Dirk's dagger propels the Mavs:
Video
First Round
April | March | February | January | December | November
What is the Crunch Time Stat?
| |
|
|
May 1, 2006
At the start of Monday's Game 4, it looked as if the Pistons were going to cruise. At the end, however, it took playoff poise to get it done. Detroit built a 15-point lead in the first half before the Bucks outscored the Pistons by nine in the third quarter and grabbed a two-point edge at the start of the fourth. After regaining the lead, Chauncey Billups and Co. used an 8-0 run to put Milwaukee away. Billups, aka Mr. Big Shot, turned into Mr. Big Pass when he found Rasheed Wallace for an open jumper that capped the run with 56.8 seconds to go and iced an eventual 109-99 victory. He was also a perfect 8-for-8 from the charity stripe in the final two minutes and finished with 13 Nestlé Crunch Time Points.
Billups' key assist helps Detroit to 3-1 series lead:
Video
First Round
April | March | February | January | December | November
What is the Crunch Time Stat?
| |
|
|
May 2, 2006
With the Spurs leading the Kings by only two points after giving back a lead of as many as 14 points, Manu Ginobili turned it on for San Antonio, energizing the home crowd by leading his team to a 109-98 victory and a 3-2 series edge. After Bonzi Wells banked a layup with 1:48 left to bring Sacramento within a pair, Ginobili answered with a layup of his own. He grabbed a pair of rebounds and hit all six of his free throws down the stretch, sparking a 12-3 game-ending run. Ginobili finished with 27 points and 15 Nestlé Crunch Time Points.
Ginobili gets it done for the defending champs:
Video
First Round
April | March | February | January | December | November
What is the Crunch Time Stat?
| |
|
|
May 4, 2006
In Game 6 on Thursday with Los Angeles up three and under 10 seconds to play, it seemed as if the sun was setting on Phoenix's season. But like a "phoenix" rising out the ashes, Tim Thomas nailed a 3-ball with 6.3 ticks left on the clock to send the contest into overtime. With 1:41 remaining in OT and the Suns up four, Thomas launched another crushing 3-point-blow that sent the wind out of the Lakers' sails and sent Phoenix to a 126-118 road victory. The win evened the series at 3-3 and set up a Game 7 showdown in Phoenix on Saturday. Thomas was enormous off the pine for the shorthanded Suns, collecting 21 points, 10 rebounds and 14 Nestlé Crunch Time Points.
Tim Thomas dials long distance:
Video
First Round
April | March | February | January | December | November
What is the Crunch Time Stat?
Video:
Nestle Hot Shots
| |
|
|
May 5, 2005
LeBron James made a splash in his playoff debut with a triple-double and delivered another impressive performance on his way to another first on Friday night. King James scored five points early in overtime as the Cavaliers pulled off a 114-113 road victory in Washington, clinching a 4-2 series win for Cleveland and his first appearance in the second round. James delivered a bucket late in regulation as the Cavs rallied to take the lead, but Washington's Gilbert Arenas forced overtime with a long 3-pointer in the closing seconds. James jumpstarted Cleveland in the extra session, scoring on a driving layup for a 109-106 lead with 4:46 to go in OT and converting a three-point play with 4:14 left for a 112-108 edge. Once again, the Wizards rallied to take the lead, but with James drawing extra coverage, Damon Jones hit the game winner with 4.8 ticks left in overtime. James finished with 32 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and 13 Nestlé Crunch Time Points.
King James shines in OT:
Video
First Round
April | March | February | January | December | November
What is the Crunch Time Stat?
Video:
Nestle Hot Shots
| |
|
 | |
|
|
RSS Feeds
NBA.COM is part of the Turner Sports and Entertainment Digital Network
