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SAN ANTONIO at LOS ANGELES
The Lakers ended the Spurs' 17-game win streak with Sunday's 105-81 triumph in Game 3. Despite the loss, San Antonio has still covered 10 of 14 versus the Lakers in postseason play the past three seasons combined.
The Spurs had taken a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series with consecutive 10-point home wins in Games 1 and 2. The winner of Game 1 when these two have squared off in the postseason the past four years has moved on to win the NBA championship.
Last season in the Western Conference semifinals, the Spurs also won the first two games of the series before L.A. tied it by winning Games 3 and 4 at home. But, the Spurs proceeded to bounce LA out of the playoffs in six games.
The Spurs are 16-5 ATS in their last 21 games, while Los Angeles is 19-8 SU in its last 27.
San Antonio is 26-18 SU and 23-21 ATS on the road, while the Lakers are 38-7 SU and 20-23 ATS at home.
San Antonio lost the first three regular-season battles with LA before prevailing 95-89 as a six-point dog at the Staples Center in the final clash on April 14.
Tim Duncan and Tony Parker had been unstoppable for the Spurs in the first two games, as Duncan tallied 54 points and Parker poured in 50 along with 14 assists._ In Game 3, however, Duncan was held to 10 points on 4-of-14 shooting and committed six turnovers, while Parker went 4-of-12 from the field for eight points.
Shaquille O'Neal took over in Game 3 for the Lakers, scoring 28 points, grabbing 15 rebounds, dishing five assists and blocking eight shots.
Supporting O'Neal's outstanding play, Kobe Bryant had 22 points with six rebounds and six assists, Gary Payton added 15 points and seven assists, and Karl Malone had 13 points, six boards and five assists. The Spurs' starters were outscored 83-31, as the Lakers shot 56.9 percent from the field, compared to 34.1 percent for San Antonio.
Bryant, attending pretrial hearings for his sexual assault case today in Eagle, Colo., is expected to fly to Los Angeles for tonight's game, marking the fourth time this season that he's rushed from the courtroom to the basketball court on the same day. The last time came in the final game of the Lakers' first-round series against Houston, when he had 31 points and 10 assists in a 97-78 victory.
Thirty of L.A.'s 43 home games have stayed under.
DETROIT at NEW JERSEY
After being outscored by 37 points combined in losing Games 1 and 2, New Jersey turned the tables and dominated from the outset of Sunday's third game, rolling to an 82-64 triumph.
The straight-up winner has covered each of the last 10 meetings, regular and postseason combined. In fact, the victor on the floor is also 16-1-1 ATS in the series the past three years.
In four regular season clashes with New Jersey this year, the Pistons held the Nets to 81.5 points a game, eight fewer than their regular season average. New Jersey also shot only 39.8% from the field and committed an average of 16 turnovers a game.
In this series, the Nets are averaging 72.3 points through three games.
These two met just once in the regular season following Detroit’s acquisition of Rasheed Wallace and the Pistons prevailed 89-71 at New Jersey on March 18 as a one-point road dog.
New Jersey's Richard Jefferson keyed the Game 3 triumph with 30 points on 11-of-19 shooting. He went 6-of-25 from the field in the series’ first two games. Eleven of Jefferson's points came in the first quarter as New Jersey opened an early 31-13 lead.
Jason Kidd continues to struggle with his shot after finishing with just five points and shooting 2-of-14 from the field. He has yet to score in double figures in this series, making only 22.5% of his shots from the field (9-of-40).
Detroit is 25-19 SU and 23-17 ATS on the road, and the Nets are 31-13 SU and 25-18 ATS at home.
The Pistons are 14-3 SU and 11-6 ATS in their last 17 games played.
Detroit is 50-35 under on the season. In its first-round series versus Milwaukee it held the high-scoring Bucks to only 85.6 points a game, 13 points below Milwaukee’s regular season average.
The Pistons have stayed under in 26 of 42 road games this year.
SAN ANTONIO at LOS ANGELES
The Lakers ended the Spurs' 17-game win streak with Sunday's 105-81 triumph in Game 3. Despite the loss, San Antonio has still covered 10 of 14 versus the Lakers in postseason play the past three seasons combined.
The Spurs had taken a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series with consecutive 10-point home wins in Games 1 and 2. The winner of Game 1 when these two have squared off in the postseason the past four years has moved on to win the NBA championship.
Last season in the Western Conference semifinals, the Spurs also won the first two games of the series before L.A. tied it by winning Games 3 and 4 at home. But, the Spurs proceeded to bounce LA out of the playoffs in six games.
The Spurs are 16-5 ATS in their last 21 games, while Los Angeles is 19-8 SU in its last 27.
San Antonio is 26-18 SU and 23-21 ATS on the road, while the Lakers are 38-7 SU and 20-23 ATS at home.
San Antonio lost the first three regular-season battles with LA before prevailing 95-89 as a six-point dog at the Staples Center in the final clash on April 14.
Tim Duncan and Tony Parker had been unstoppable for the Spurs in the first two games, as Duncan tallied 54 points and Parker poured in 50 along with 14 assists._ In Game 3, however, Duncan was held to 10 points on 4-of-14 shooting and committed six turnovers, while Parker went 4-of-12 from the field for eight points.
Shaquille O'Neal took over in Game 3 for the Lakers, scoring 28 points, grabbing 15 rebounds, dishing five assists and blocking eight shots.
Supporting O'Neal's outstanding play, Kobe Bryant had 22 points with six rebounds and six assists, Gary Payton added 15 points and seven assists, and Karl Malone had 13 points, six boards and five assists. The Spurs' starters were outscored 83-31, as the Lakers shot 56.9 percent from the field, compared to 34.1 percent for San Antonio.
Bryant, attending pretrial hearings for his sexual assault case today in Eagle, Colo., is expected to fly to Los Angeles for tonight's game, marking the fourth time this season that he's rushed from the courtroom to the basketball court on the same day. The last time came in the final game of the Lakers' first-round series against Houston, when he had 31 points and 10 assists in a 97-78 victory.
Thirty of L.A.'s 43 home games have stayed under.
DETROIT at NEW JERSEY
After being outscored by 37 points combined in losing Games 1 and 2, New Jersey turned the tables and dominated from the outset of Sunday's third game, rolling to an 82-64 triumph.
The straight-up winner has covered each of the last 10 meetings, regular and postseason combined. In fact, the victor on the floor is also 16-1-1 ATS in the series the past three years.
In four regular season clashes with New Jersey this year, the Pistons held the Nets to 81.5 points a game, eight fewer than their regular season average. New Jersey also shot only 39.8% from the field and committed an average of 16 turnovers a game.
In this series, the Nets are averaging 72.3 points through three games.
These two met just once in the regular season following Detroit’s acquisition of Rasheed Wallace and the Pistons prevailed 89-71 at New Jersey on March 18 as a one-point road dog.
New Jersey's Richard Jefferson keyed the Game 3 triumph with 30 points on 11-of-19 shooting. He went 6-of-25 from the field in the series’ first two games. Eleven of Jefferson's points came in the first quarter as New Jersey opened an early 31-13 lead.
Jason Kidd continues to struggle with his shot after finishing with just five points and shooting 2-of-14 from the field. He has yet to score in double figures in this series, making only 22.5% of his shots from the field (9-of-40).
Detroit is 25-19 SU and 23-17 ATS on the road, and the Nets are 31-13 SU and 25-18 ATS at home.
The Pistons are 14-3 SU and 11-6 ATS in their last 17 games played.
Detroit is 50-35 under on the season. In its first-round series versus Milwaukee it held the high-scoring Bucks to only 85.6 points a game, 13 points below Milwaukee’s regular season average.
The Pistons have stayed under in 26 of 42 road games this year.