2015 NBA Tournament of Champions: Group Play Day 27

It's been a long month of July... but we're finally here. Today is the second to last day of group play, and with it, the start of the final round. It comes on a milestone post: this is the 500th post since I started doing Confessions of a Sportscaster back in 2011.

Every NBA champion of the last 64 years has played 13 games over the last 26 days. For 32 of these teams, this is the final game of the tournament for them. For the other 32, it's a stepping stone to glory.

All but eight spots in the elimination round have been clinched, and six of those spots can be locked up today. On today's schedule, Groups E and H play the last of back to backs, while Groups D and G return from a day off to finish their schedules.

Below, I will include links to each group's page in their respective headers so you can view scores and standings. On those pages, the team on the right will be considered the home team for all games. All game simulations are provided by WhatIfSports.com. To view player and team stats for the tournament, click here. Let's get to it.

Group D

@ 1999 San Antonio Spurs 115, 1959 Boston Celtics 91
The Spurs held up their end of the bargain, using a 35-24 second quarter to build a 10 point halftime lead. The Spurs shot 54.1 percent from the floor and outrebounded the Celtics 59-46 to pick up their eighth win. Tim Duncan helped push the Spurs to victory with 19 points, 21 rebounds, five assists and four blocks, Avery Johnson had 11 points and 12 rebounds, and David Robinson finished with 12 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks. Bill Russell led the Celtics with 14 points and 19 rebounds, Bob Cousy had 11 points, five rebounds and eight assists, and Bill Sharman chipped in 20 points. Combined with a below result, the Spurs take one of the final two Group D spots.

2013 Miami Heat 113, @ 2011 Dallas Mavericks 104
The Mavs suffered at the hands of red hot Miami shooting; the Heat finished at 57.5 percent shooting overall, including 10 of 15 from three point range. The Miami win gives the 2013 semifinalist the Group D win and a number one seed with an excellent 12-2 record. LeBron James was a facilitator with 18 points, eight rebounds and 17 assists, Chris Bosh scored 23 points, Dwyane Wade had 18 points and seven assists, and Mario Chalmers hit five of his seven threes for 15 points. Dirk Nowitzki had 28 points and nine rebounds in 40 minutes to lead the Mavericks, while Jason Kidd had five points and 13 assists and Tyson Chandler posted 15 points and 12 rebounds. Even so, the Mavericks are moving on and earning a #3 seed thanks to our Doomsday scenario playing out below.

2009 Los Angeles Lakers 107, @ 2000 Los Angeles Lakers 88 (OT)

The '00 Lakers drop a heartbreaker, their third in a row, and the team that looked like a lock last week to make the Elimination Round are going home. The '00 Lakers climbed out of a nine point fourth quarter hole, with Shaquille O'Neal tying the game at 86 with 19 seconds left, and '09 Kobe bricked a game-winner to go to overtime. However, the '09 Lakers scored the first five points of the extra session, gave up a Shaq dunk, and the '00 Lakers would miss their final eight shots to fall completely out of it. Pau Gasol had 20 points, 11 rebounds and five assists to lead the #2 seeded '09 Lakers, '09 Kobe had 16 points, five rebounds and seven assists, Andrew Bynum had nine points, 14 rebounds and six blocks, and Trevor Ariza and Vladimir Radmanovic each chipped in 13 points. O'Neal had 25 points and 11 rebounds, '00 Bryant had 17 points and five rebounds, Glen Rice had 19 and six, and Robert Horry added 10 and 11.

2007 San Antonio Spurs 95, @ 1953 Minneapolis Lakers 90
I had fun with this one since it was a meaningless game in terms of the Elimination Round. Knowing Gregg Popovich likes to rest his guys, I decided to sit Duncan, Parker and Ginobili for the finale, instead starting Michael Finley, Brent Barry, Francisco Elson, Jacque Vaughn and Matt Bonner. They played well, shooting 47.4 percent from the floor and 10 of 21 from deep, though they did get outrebounded by the Lakers, who over the course of two tournaments are now 0-18. Finley led the Spurs with 29 points, Bonner had 16 points and six rebounds, and James White added 12 points while Fabricio Oberto had 10 rebounds. George Mikan led the Lakers with 23 points, 18 rebounds and four blocks, Vern Mikkelsen had 13 points and 11 rebounds, and James Pollard added 12 and nine.

Advancing Teams

1. 2013 Miami Heat (12-2)
2. 2009 Los Angeles Lakers (11-3)
3. 2011 Dallas Mavericks (8-6)
4. 1999 San Antonio Spurs (8-6)

Group E

1997 Chicago Bulls 113, @ 1981 Boston Celtics 104
The Bulls did their part to get the top spot in Group E, and got the help they needed (see below), coming back from down 10 early in the fourth quarter. Bill Wennington scored four unanswered points to give the Bulls a three point lead with 3:51 to play, and the Celtics would get no closer the rest of the way. All told, the Bulls outscored the Celtics 36-19 in the fourth quarter to pick up their 11th win. Michael Jordan scored 34 points to help propel the Bulls into the Elimination Round on a high note, Scottie Pippen added 20 points, nine rebounds and six assists, Toni Kukoc scored 20 points and Brian Williams chipped in 11 off the bench. Larry Bird led the Celtics with 24 points, 18 rebounds and three assists, Robert Parish had 17 points, nine rebounds and four blocks, and Nate Archibald had nine points and 10 assists. With the loss, combined with an '08 Celtics win and a '73 Knicks win, the 1981 Celtics have been eliminated from the Elimination Round.

1990 Detroit Pistons 115, @ 1974 Boston Celtics 102
The Pistons close their Tournament of Champions on a high note, winning their final four games to make their results look better than they really were. They shot 51.1 percent from the floor and used a 31-17 third quarter advantage to pull away from the Celtics. Joe Dumars had 22 points, six rebounds and six assists for the Pistons, Isiah Thomas had 20 points, seven assists and four steals, and Vinnie Johnson netted 16 points off the bench. Dave Cowens led the Celtics with 23 points and 16 rebounds, Jo Jo White had 18 points, John Havlicek 17, and Don Chaney pulled down 11 rebounds.

@ 2008 Boston Celtics 103, 2014 San Antonio Spurs 72
Both teams desperately needed the win, and the Celtics got an ice cold Spurs team to carry their half of the bargain, while getting the help they needed to advance to the Elimination Round. San Antonio shot just 36.8 percent for the game and took 31 threes, only making eight of them. Their 21 turnovers also didn't help. Kevin Garnett led a balanced Boston attack with 14 points and 10 rebounds, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce each added 13 points, Sam Cassell came off the bench for 14, and Eddie House hit four threes for 12 points. The Spurs had a nightmarish day, as Kawhi Leonard was held scoreless and managed just five rebounds, three steals, and an assist. Tiago Splitter paced the offense with 12 points, Marco Belinelli added 11, and Tim Duncan finished with 10 points and 11 rebounds.

1973 New York Knicks 104, @ 1978 Washington Bullets 87

The Knicks got their best case scenario: win their game, and get the help they needed to somehow steal the #3 seed. New York outscored Washington in every quarter, holding them to 36.5 percent shooting and forcing 17 turnovers en route to victory. Walt Frazier led the way with 27 points, eight rebounds and six assists, Earl Monroe added 16, seven and five, and Dave DeBusschere chipped in 11 points and 16 rebounds. Elvin Hayes paced the Bullets with 20 points and a game-high 17 rebounds, Bob Dandridge had 19 points, six rebounds and five assists, and Wes Unseld finished with seven points and 12 rebounds.

Advancing Teams

1. 1997 Chicago Bulls (11-3)
2. 2014 San Antonio Spurs (11-3)
3. 1973 New York Knicks (7-7)
4. 2008 Boston Celtics (7-7)

Group G

1967 Philadelphia 76ers 119, @ 1957 Boston Celtics 106
Wilt gets revenge on his old nemesis once again, and this time, in a game that mattered. With tiebreakers, the Sixers edge out the Celtics to take Group G's final spot in the Elimination Round. The Sixers held Boston to just 38.9 percent shooting, and the Celtics also missed 10 free throws, some of which could have turned the tide, though the Sixers missed 10 free throws as well. Wilt Chamberlain had arguably the game of his life with 29 points, 18 rebounds, seven assists and five blocks. Hal Greer added 21 points and eight rebounds, and Luke Jackson added 14 and 10. Bill Russell had 12 points and 17 rebounds in the tough loss, Bob Cousy added 11 points and eight assists, and Tommy Heinsohn had 15 points and nine rebounds for the Celtics.

@ 1987 Los Angeles Lakers 128, 2001 Los Angeles Lakers 112

The '87 Lakers win the Group G Championship Game behind a 40 point fourth quarter while the '01 Lakers lament missed chances, like the 21 missed threes, a few more makes of which could have turned the tide in their favor. The '87 team never trailed, and their 11-3 record will give them a decent spot in the Elimination Round, while the '01 team's 10-4 mark will still be okay in terms of tiebreakers. Magic Johnson led the '87 Lakers with 22 points, eight rebounds and 13 assists, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had 24, seven and five, and James Worthy added 20 points. Shaquille O'Neal led all scorers with 32 points while pulling down a game-high 16 rebounds to lead the '01 Lakers, Kobe Bryant added 28 points, five rebounds and seven assists, and Derek Fisher chipped in 16.

2005 San Antonio Spurs 85, @ 2003 San Antonio Spurs 81
The '03 Spurs committed 20 turnovers but contended the whole game until Bruce Bowen hit a three with 3:16 left to put the '05 Spurs ahead for good. The '03 team actually had to come back from down 11 at halftime and made it interesting, even leading in the final frame until Bowen's three silenced them. '05 Tim Duncan led the way with 18 points and 11 rebounds, '05 Tony Parker added 12 points and seven assists, and '05 Manu Ginobili finished with 12 points, four rebounds, four assists and four steals. '03 Duncan had 15 points, nine rebounds and six blocks, '03 Manu had 14 points, and David Robinson added six points and 15 rebounds.

1964 Boston Celtics 103, @ 1955 Syracuse Nationals 95
The Nationals are the second team to fall to 0-14, but not for a lack of trying. They did only shoot 35.3 percent, but were only down 11 going into the final quarter and never let up to allow Boston to make the lead balloon. Bill Russell led the Celtics with 12 points, 21 rebounds, seven assists and four blocks, John Havlicek added 19 points, and Sam Jones 18. Johnny "Red" Kerr led the Nationals off the bench with 18 points and 10 rebounds, Paul Seymour added 18 points and nine assists, and Dolph Schayes put up 15 points and 17 rebounds.

Advancing Teams

1. 1987 Los Angeles Lakers (11-3)
2. 2001 Los Angeles Lakers (10-4)
3. 2005 San Antonio Spurs (10-4)
4. 1967 Philadelphia 76ers (8-6)

Group H

@ 2006 Miami Heat 121, 1962 Boston Celtics 99
Miami outscored the Celtics 36-22 in the opening quarter and rolled from there to its 12th win, a major improvement from a first round exit back in 2013. The Heat shot just over 50 percent and forced 16 turnovers while only committing 10 in the win. Dwyane Wade put one last game out there for his Group MVP candidacy with 20 points, seven rebounds and 11 assists, though Shaquille O'Neal had an argument too with 22 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks. Udonis Haslem had probably his best game of the tournament in this one with 20 points and 17 rebounds. Bill Russell led the Celtics with 21 points and 17 rebounds, Sam Jones added 15 points, Tommy Heinsohn 14, and Bob Cousy had 10 points and nine assists.

1984 Boston Celtics 109, @ 1952 Minneapolis Lakers 84

The Celtics did what they needed to do in winning their eighth game of the tournament, and got the help they needed from the '69 Celtics, so they grab the fourth and final Elimination Round spot. It wasn't easy though; the Lakers put up 43 points in the opening quarter in a loud effort to play spoiler. The Celtics bounced back to within two by halftime, and used a 32-14 fourth quarter to complete the comeback. Larry Bird had a monster game of 28 points, 19 rebounds and eight assists, Robert Parish had 19 points and 11 rebounds, and Kevin McHale had 14 points off the bench. George Mikan finished his final game of the tournament with 24 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks, James Pollard added 15 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists, and Vern Mikkelsen finished with 15 points and eight rebounds.

@ 1969 Boston Celtics 130, 1963 Boston Celtics 110
The '63 Celtics couldn't outscore the '69 Celtics in any quarter, and their late charge comes to an end with their elimination. The '69 Celtics held the '63 team to just 18 third quarter points in a nine point game and forced 19 turnovers to finish at a semi-respectable 6-8. Larry Siegfried had 28 points, five rebounds and six assists to pace the '69 Celtics, '69 John Havlicek posted 25 points and 10 rebounds, and '69 Bill Russell added 19 points, 14 rebounds and five assists. '63 Sam Jones had 21 points to pace his Celtics, '63 Russell had 15 points, 18 rebounds and four blocks, and '63 Tommy Heinsohn had 18 points and 11 rebounds.

1991 Chicago Bulls 108, @ 1976 Boston Celtics 101
The Bulls sealed the #2 seed after trailing by 15 early in the second quarter. Boston still held on for a while, leading by three going into the final quarter, but Scottie Pippen's turnaround jumper with 94 seconds left gave the Bulls the lead, and they would ice the game from there. Michael Jordan, of course, led the way with 35 points, six rebounds, eight assists and five steals, Pippen added 18 points, 12 rebounds and six assists, and Bill Cartwright and B.J. Armstrong each added 12 points for the Bulls. Jo Jo White had 22 points and seven assists for the Celtics, who will settle for the third seed at 8-6, while Dave Cowens had 17 point and 19 rebounds and John Havlicek chipped in 17 points and seven assists.

Advancing Teams

1. 2006 Miami Heat (12-2)
2. 1991 Chicago Bulls (9-5)
3. 1976 Boston Celtics (8-6)
4. 1984 Boston Celtics (8-6)