Today's schedule features returns for Groups D and E following a day off, while Groups F and G have had a couple days to catch their breath. Group E is finishing up a home-and-home series today. All simulations are provided by WhatIfSports.com. Here's a look at what transpired today.
Group D
A fresh Bulls team came in highly motivated and showed it with a relentless offensive onslaught and solid defense that forced 21 turnovers and, with some help, moved the defending champs back into third place in Group D. At the end of the day though, no one was stopping Michael Jordan, who annihilated Boston to the tune of 41 points, 12 rebounds, and six steals, while Scottie Pippen added a triple-double of 21 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists, and Toni Kukoc chipped in 16 points, six rebounds, and six assists off the bench for Chicago. Bill Russell had 12 points and 10 rebounds to pace the Celtics, John Havlicek added 14 and eight, and Sam Jones scored 12 points.
'16 Cleveland Cavaliers 116, @ '88 Los Angeles Lakers 107
Cleveland moves a game and a half up on the idle '07 Spurs with a 16-37 day from beyond the arc to grab their tenth win of the tournament. LeBron James led the way with 29 points, six rebounds, and 10 assists, J.R. Smith got red hot and scored 20 points, Kyrie Irving added 17 points and 12 assists, and Kevin Love chipped in 10 points and 15 rebounds for the Cavs. Byron Scott scored 27 points to pace the Lakers, Magic Johnson added 22 points, six rebounds, and seven assists, and James Worthy put up 12 points and eight rebounds.
'76 Boston Celtics 117, @ '62 Boston Celtics 104
In the paradox battle for seventh place, the guests shot 47 percent from the floor and held their hosts to 38.8 percent. '76 Boston got 26 points and 19 rebounds from Dave Cowens, Jo Jo White added 19 points and nine assists, Paul Silas dropped 19 points and 17 rebounds, and Charlie Scott scored 14 points. They spoiled an eight point, 15 rebound, four block night by Bill Russell, while Sam Jones added 21 points and 11 rebounds, and Satch Sanders contributed 12 and 11.
@ '09 Los Angeles Lakers 117, '78 Washington Bullets 108
The Bullets see their three game winning streak snapped as the '09 Lakers move into a tie with their '88 counterparts for fourth place in Group D. Kobe Bryant had 24 points, seven assists, and four steals to pace Los Angeles, Pau Gasol added 18 points, nine rebounds, and five assists, and Derek Fisher scored 16 points in the win. Elvin Hayes led the Bullets with 20 points and 14 rebounds, Tom Henderson scored 23 points, and Bob Dandridge finished with 14 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists.
Group F
@ '86 Boston Celtics 105, '68 Boston Celtics 89
The '86 Celtics climb back into a tie for first place after shooting 51.7 percent for the contest and forcing a whopping 22 turnovers by their '68 counterparts, who drop half a game back in third. Larry Bird did his thing again with 27 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists, while Kevin McHale logged 20 points and five rebounds, Danny Ainge added 14 points and five assists, and Robert Parish finished with 11 points, five rebounds, and four blocks for '86 Boston. Larry Siegfried paced the '68 Celtics with 18 points, five rebounds, and six assists, Bailey Howell added 14 points and seven rebounds, and Bill Russell contributed eight points, 21 rebounds, five assists, and four blocks.
The Lakers shot just 33.7 percent from the floor and allowed the Pistons to hit six of their 12 threes, as they are now eliminated from contention. Ben Wallace led the way with 12 points, 15 rebounds, and five blocks for the Pistons, Rip Hamilton had 18 points, five rebounds, and six assists, Chauncey Billups added 18, six, and five, and Tayshaun Prince added 15 points and four steals. George Mikan paced Minneapolis with 15 points and 15 rebounds, while Lew Hitch added 10 and seven off the bench and James Pollard finished with seven points and 11 rebounds.
@ '01 Los Angeles Lakers 113, '98 Chicago Bulls 105 (OT)
Michael Jordan got fouled with 14 seconds left, hit the first free throw, but missed the second, and Kobe Bryant got the rebound, took it the other way, and swished a jumper at the buzzer to force overtime. They got all the momentum from there, scoring 11 of the first 13 in the extra session to grab the home win and move into a tie for third place. Bryant finished with 34 points, five rebounds, and five assists, Shaquille O'Neal added 21 points, nine rebounds, and four blocks, and Rick Fox chipped in 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Lakers. Jordan led the Bulls with 34 points and 10 rebounds, Scottie Pippen added 19 and eight, and Luc Longley finished with 18 and 12.
@ '89 Detroit Pistons 111, '79 Seattle Supersonics 87
The Pistons forced 19 turnovers and grabbed their fifth win in 12 tries with two byes still left on their schedule. Dennis Rodman led the way with 19 points and 15 rebounds, Isiah Thomas added 19 points, five rebounds, and nine assists, and Bill Laimbeer finished with 13 points and 14 rebounds for Detroit. Jack Sikma paced the Sonics with 16 points and 18 rebounds, Dennis Johnson added 14 points, and Gus Williams scored 13.
Group G
@ '72 Indiana Pacers 126, '58 St. Louis Hawks 105
The Pacers shot 54.3 percent from the floor and held the already eliminated Hawks to 38 percent shooting as Indiana is now 5-5 on the tournament. Mel Daniels led the Pacers with 26 points and 15 rebounds, Rick Mount scored 22 points off the bench, and Bob Netolicky finished with eight points and 12 rebounds. Chuck Share had 16 points and 14 rebounds to pace St. Louis, Bob Pettit only played 14 minutes and managed six points and nine rebounds, and Cliff Hagan chipped in 15 points and seven rebounds.
@ '02 Los Angeles Lakers 116, '64 Boston Celtics 107
The Lakers pull to within half a game of the first place '97 Bulls despite missing 11 free throws, but forced 18 turnovers and put the Celtics on the brink of elimination. Boston had no answer for LA's dynamic duo, as Shaquille O'Neal went off for 37 points and 11 rebounds, while Kobe Bryant added 30 points, five rebounds, and nine assists and Samaki Walker chipped in eight points and 11 rebounds off the bench for Los Angeles. Bill Russell paced Boston with 18 points, 21 rebounds, and four blocks, K.C. Jones scored 17 points, and Tommy Heinsohn added 15.
Sam Jones buried a pair of threes with less than four minutes to go, the latter of which gave Boston the lead for good as they force a tie for third with these Mavericks. Jones finished with a game-high 29 points to go with seven rebounds, Bill Russell added 13 points, 26 rebounds, five assists, and four steals, and John Havlicek scored 23 points for the Celtics. Dirk Nowitzki paced Dallas with 28 points and eight rebounds, Caron Butler added 16 and five, and Jason Kidd notched 12 assists and four steals.
'76 New York Nets 126, @ '67 Philadelphia 76ers 118
The Nets got to the line 52 times and hit 38 of them while the Sixers shot just 34 free throws, as New York makes it a three team log jam for the third and fourth spots in the Elimination Stage. John Williamson scored 25 points to lead the Nets, Julius Erving added 18 points, 15 rebounds, and five assists, Kim Hughes recorded 16 points and 11 rebounds, and Swen Nater chipped in 15 and 10. Wilt Chamberlain had a quadruple-nickel in the loss, dropping 26 points, 17 rebounds, eight assists, and five blocks, while Chet Walker added 23 points and nine rebounds and Wali Jones contributed 20 and seven for the Sixers.
Group E
@ '77 Portland Trail Blazers 124, '82 Los Angeles Lakers 111
Portland earned the home win and the split, though the Lakers missed 14 free throws, which may have cost them the game to some degree. They also had few answers for Bill Walton, who went off for 25 points and 16 rebounds while Maurice Lucas added 24 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists, and Johnny Davis scored 13 points off the Blazer bench. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar led the Lakers with 22 points and nine rebounds, Mitch Kupchak added 11 points and 13 rebounds, and Magic Johnson finished with 19 points, nine rebounds, and five assists.
Utah moves into a tie for fourth place with the '82 Lakers, but in so doing have eliminated the '61 Celtics from contention. Boston actually led by as many as 20 in the mid to late third quarter, but surrendered a 12-0 run bridging the third and fourth quarters and suffered an over four minute scoring drought as the final frame went on. Zelmo Beaty led the Stars with 23 points and 21 rebounds, Glen Combs scored 21 points, Donnie Freeman managed 19 points and seven assists, and Willie Wise finished with 19 points and six rebounds. Bill Russell led the Celtics with 18 points and 19 rebounds, Tommy Heinsohn added 20 and 10, and Sam Jones put up 23 and nine.
@ '92 Chicago Bulls 129, '60 Boston Celtics 101
Chicago gets its revenge for two days ago and maintains its place atop the Group E standings after shooting 53 percent and shutting down a Celtic attack that dropped 134 points on them in Boston. Michael Jordan came out sufficiently motivated, dropping 36 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists to lead the Bulls, while Scottie Pippen added 20, seven, and five, and Horace Grant chipped in 14 points, 13 rebounds, and six blocks. Bill Russell paced the Celtics with 13 points and 17 rebounds, Bob Cousy logged 15 points and six assists, and Bill Sharman scored 15 points.
'15 Golden State Warriors 123, @ '69 Boston Celtics 103
The Warriors hit 16 of 38 threes to stay within a game of the group leaders while taking good care of the ball, only turning it over nine times. Steph Curry led the way with 27 points, seven rebounds, and 10 assists for Golden State, Klay Thompson added 23 points and six rebounds, and Draymond Green recorded 18 points and 10 rebounds. Sam Jones scored 19 points to lead the Celtics, while Larry Siegfried added 15 points and eight rebounds, and John Havlicek logged 14 points, five rebounds, eight assists, and four steals.
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