We're more than halfway home in the quest to narrow the field from our 72 teams down to 32. Only the 1990 Detroit Pistons have survived to this stage without suffering a loss, with five more teams only having had one setback to date. These teams are among the favorites for the title, but there are still a lot of basketball games yet to be played before we can really start to look at favorites.
On today's schedule, Groups E and F return from a day off to on-court action, while Groups B and H end their stretch of days off at two. All simulations are provided by WhatIfSports.com. Let's play.
Group E
Portland keeps pace in Group E behind a 52 percent shooting day while controlling the glass and making their free throws. Bill Walton went bonkers with 21 points, 27 rebounds, five assists, and seven blocks for an insane quadruple-nickel, Maurice Lucas added 22 points and 11 rebounds, and Lionel Hollins added 20 points and five assists for the Blazers. Bob Cousy paced the Celtics with 21 points, five rebounds, and eight assists, Bill Russell put up 20 points and 13 rebounds, and Bill Sharman added 18 points off the bench.
@ '92 Chicago Bulls 130, '82 Los Angeles Lakers 114
The Bulls shot a jaw-dropping 60.9 percent from the floor to become the first team to nine wins. The Lakers were no slouches either, shooting an even 50 percent, but turned the ball over 20 times to fall to fourth place. Michael Jordan had 25 points, five rebounds, and four steals, Scottie Pippen put up 23 points, nine assists, and four steals, and Horace Grant chipped in 17 points and nine rebounds for Chicago. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar paced the Lakers with 20 points and 12 rebounds, Norm Nixon added 13 points and 10 assists, Mitch Kupchak put up 18 points and six rebounds, and Magic Johnson finished with six points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists.
'71 Utah Stars 114, @ '69 Boston Celtics 105
Boston rallied in the fourth quarter to take a three point lead, but four straight Zelmo Beaty points gave the Stars the lead back and they put the game away from there. Beaty finished with 15 points and 14 rebounds, Willie Wise had 19 points and 14 rebounds, Red Robbins added 17 and 19, and Glen Combs and Donnie Freeman combined for 33 points in the backcourt for Utah. Bill Russell had just six points, but added 19 rebounds and six blocks for the Celtics, Bailey Howell put up 23 points and six rebounds, Sam Jones added 20 points and five assists, and John Havlicek logged 15 points and nine rebounds.
@ '53 Minneapolis Lakers 125, '60 Boston Celtics 108
The Lakers went on a couple fourth quarter mini-runs to blow open what had been a close game to that point and grabbed their second win of Group Play. The Celtics had no answer for George Mikan, who exploded for a quadruple-nickel of 37 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists, and five blocks, James Pollard added 23 points, seven rebounds, and six assists, and Vern Mikkelsen chipped in 13, 10, and five for Minneapolis. Bill Russell paced Boston with 20 points and 15 rebounds, Tommy Heinsohn put up 25 and 11, and Bob Cousy logged 19 points and 13 assists.
Group F
@ '68 Boston Celtics 128, '86 Boston Celtics 119
The '68 Celtics went on a 12-3 run in about a two and a half minute span to grab a crucial win and hand the '86 Celtics their second loss of the tournament. Bill Russell had a quadruple-nickel with 11 points, 23 rebounds, seven assists, and five blocks for the '68 team, Bailey Howell put up 27 points and 10 rebounds, John Havlicek added 20 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists, and Sam Jones chipped in 20 points and six assists. They spoiled a 27 point, 11 rebound, nine assist night for Larry Bird, while Danny Ainge put up 21, six, and five, and Kevin McHale finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds for '86 Boston.
'04 Detroit Pistons 88, @ '52 Minneapolis Lakers 79
Detroit was able to dig into its bench a little bit to grab its third win, holding the Lakers to 32.1 percent shooting for the contest and winning the rebounding battle. Chauncey Billups led the way with 18 points, seven rebounds, and six assists, Rip Hamilton added 18 points, and Tayshaun Prince chipped in 13 points, eight rebounds, and five assists for the Pistons. Vern Mikkelsen paced Minneapolis with 24 points and 11 rebounds, George Mikan logged 17 and 12, and James Pollard finished with 13 points and 13 rebounds.
'01 Los Angeles Lakers 108, @ '98 Chicago Bulls 98
The Lakers hit 10 of 20 threes and won the rebounding battle to grab their sixth win and move within half a game of the '86 Celtics. Shaquille O'Neal dominated with 29 points, 18 rebounds, and five assists, while Kobe Bryant added 15, eight, and six, Robert Horry chipped in 15 points and eight rebounds, and Rick Fox also scored 15 points for Los Angeles. Scottie Pippen led the Bulls with 27 points and seven assists, Michael Jordan chipped in 20 points and eight rebounds, and Luc Longley finished with 13 points and nine rebounds.
The Pistons overcame a 12 point halftime deficit to grab their third win and drag the Sonics below .500. Isiah Thomas had 25 points and 10 assists, while Dennis Rodman went off with 17 points, 12 rebounds, five blocks, and four steals, and Bill Laimbeer added 15 points and 11 rebounds for Detroit. Dennis Johnson led Seattle with 16 points and five rebounds, Jack Sikma chipped in 11 points, 17 rebounds, and eight assists, and Lonnie Shelton chipped in 17 points and five rebounds.
Group H
'73 New York Knicks 115, @ '94 Houston Rockets 95
New York exploded for 43 fourth quarter points to turn a tight game into a laugher to grab their third win of the tournament. Earl Monroe scored 13 of his 18 points in that final frame to go with his five rebounds and five assists, Bill Bradley scored 20 points, Willis Reed added 16 points and nine rebounds, and Dave DeBusschere chipped in 15 and seven for the Knicks. Hakeem Olajuwon paced the Rockets with 19 points, 12 rebounds, and four blocks, Vernon Maxwell scored 15 points, and Otis Thorpe put up 12 points and 12 rebounds.
@ '13 Miami Heat 114, '71 Milwaukee Bucks 96
Miami shot 55.6 percent from the floor and held Milwaukee to a tick above 40 percent to grab their eighth win and remain in first place. LeBron James put up 29 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists for the Heat, Chris Bosh added 21 points and eight rebounds, and Dwyane Wade finished with 19 points and 10 assists. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar finished with 28 points and 16 rebounds, Oscar Robertson chipped in 16 points and five assists, and Greg Smith contributed 16 points and nine rebounds for the Bucks, who fall to 5-4.
The Lakers get back over .500 thanks to shooting 55.1 percent from the floor and dominating the glass, moving them into a tie with the Celtics. Kobe Bryant scored 31 points and pulled down seven rebounds in just 29 minutes, while Pau Gasol added 25 points and 10 rebounds and Andrew Bynum chipped in 26 and seven for Los Angeles. Bill Russell paced Boston with 25 points and 20 rebounds, Bill Sharman and Jim Loscutoff each scored 16 points, and Bob Cousy contributed 12 points and eight assists.
'80 Los Angeles Lakers 124, @ '57 Boston Celtics 111
The Lakers used an 18-0 run that spanned almost five minutes in the second quarter to take firm control of the game, and they never relinquished it en route to their fifth win which puts them in third place. Jamaal Wilkes had 25 points and seven rebounds, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar logged 18 points, 14 rebounds, and five assists, and Norm Nixon chipped in 18 points and 11 assists, and Magic Johnson notched nine points, eight rebounds, and eight assists off the bench for Los Angeles. Bill Russell had 22 points, 15 rebounds, and four blocks to pace Boston, while Tommy Heinsohn added 17 points and nine rebounds, Bob Cousy chipped in 17 points and six assists, and Frank Ramsey scored 12 points off the Celtic bench.
Group B
@ '73 Indiana Pacers 109, '85 Los Angeles Lakers 100
Indiana outscored LA 34-13 in the fourth quarter to overcome a deficit as high as 14 early in the frame to pick up win number four and knock the third place Lakers down a peg. They had no answer for George McGinnis, who went off for 30 points and 12 rebounds, Mel Daniels added 22 points, 16 rebounds, and four steals, and Roger A. Brown chipped in 13 points and seven assists for the Pacers. James Worthy paced the Lakers with 19 points, eight rebounds, and five assists, Byron Scott scored 18 points, and Magic Johnson finished with 12 points, eight rebounds, and 15 assists.
@ '69 Oakland Oaks 137, '75 Golden State Warriors 115
The Oaks shot 56.7 percent from the floor and hit as many free throws as the Warriors took to get to .500 and get back in the mix for the Elimination Stage. '69 Rick Barry led the way with 29 points, nine rebounds, and five assists, Warren Jabali added 26 points and seven rebounds, and Gary Bradds chipped in 19 points and seven rebounds for Oakland. '75 Rick Barry had 19 points and six rebounds, Charles Johnson scored 18 points, and Jamaal Wilkes chipped in 15 points and eight rebounds for Golden State.
The Knicks created a big log jam thanks to a 9-2 fourth quarter run that gave them the lead and despite multiple pushes from Chicago, never let it go. Willis Reed feasted on the Bulls' interior to the tune of 26 points and 21 rebounds, Walt Frazier added 21 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists, and Dave DeBusschere finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds for New York. They spoiled a 32 point, 13 rebound, seven assist night for Michael Jordan, while Horace Grant went off for 24 points, 17 rebounds, and six assists, and Trent Tucker scored 12 points off the bench for the Bulls.
'90 Detroit Pistons 109, @ '74 New York Nets 104 (OT)
Isiah Thomas and Julius Erving traded free throws in the final minute, but after a Joe Dumars miss, Larry Kenon missed two chances at the game-winning bucket at the end of regulation. Mark Aguirre scored five straight points midway through the extra session to give the Pistons the lead, and Isiah Thomas finished the Nets off to keep Detroit undefeated. Thomas finished with 31 points, five rebounds, and nine assists, Aguirre recorded 18 points and six rebounds, and Joe Dumars chipped in 16 and 10 for the Pistons. Julius Erving had 22 points and 13 rebounds to pace New York, while Billy Paultz logged 18 points, 15 rebounds, and six blocks, and Larry Kenon finished with 16 points and 20 rebounds.
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