For now, I'm continuing to focus on the consolation bracket. Today's schedule is between the 16 teams that won on Monday and Tuesday to minimize the number of games they would have to play. The teams that win will advance to the third round of the winner's bracket. The losers, meanwhile, drop into the loser's bracket and will have to turn around and play again tomorrow against yesterday's winners.
As has been the case the past three days, home court advantage goes to the higher seed based on group play placing. All simulations are provided by WhatIfSports.com. Let's play!
Hakeem Olajuwon Pod
@ (5) '95 Houston Rockets 115, (7) '79 Seattle Supersonics 99
The top seed shot 51 percent from the floor, including a 7-13 day from beyond the arc to advance to round three in the winner's bracket. Hakeem Olajuwon had 20 points and 13 rebounds, Clyde Drexler added 21 points, seven rebounds, and six assists (though he did turn the ball over nine times), Otis Thorpe chipped in 20 points and six rebounds, and Sam Cassell logged 11 points and eight rebounds off the bench for the Rockets. Freddie Brown scored 16 points off the bench to pace the Sonics, Jack Sikma added 12 points and 14 rebounds, Dennis Johnson had 11 points, five rebounds, and six assists, and Gus Williams finished with 10, five, and six.
The Pistons couldn't pull a second consecutive upset despite a perfect day at the free throw line and a reasonable shooting day. They allowed the Pacers to hit nearly 50 percent of their shots though, and lost the rebounding battle as Indiana advances. Roger A. Brown broke out with 30 points and nine rebounds for the Pacers, Mel Daniels added 27 points and 23 rebounds, Bob Netolicky chipped in 19 and seven, and Freddie Lewis scored 16 points. Rip Hamilton scored 21 points to pace Detroit, Chauncey Billups added 15 points and 10 assists, and Mehmet Okur finished with 13 points and 13 rebounds.
Magic Johnson Pod
The Lakers trailed by six with 2:44 to go in regulation, but scored six straight points to tie the game, Sam Jones and Magic Johnson traded buckets, and John Havlicek missed at the buzzer, forcing overtime. They traded baskets again for three minutes before Bailey Howell took over to finish the Lakers off and pull the road upset. Howell finished with 27 points and nine rebounds, Bill Russell added eight points, 22 rebounds, and seven assists, and Jones scored 23 points for the Celtics. Byron Scott paced the LA attack with 27 points and five assists, James Worthy had 22 points and nine rebounds, and Magic Johnson finished with 20 points, six rebounds, and 13 assists.
@ (7) '99 San Antonio Spurs 101, (8) '73 Indiana Pacers 93
Indiana missed 11 free throws and committed 18 turnovers to drop a tough one on the road. David Robinson led the Spurs with 15 points and 14 rebounds, Avery Johnson added 16 points and seven assists, and Tim Duncan chipped in 11 points and 10 rebounds. Roger A. Brown scored 19 points to lead Indiana, Donnie Freeman poured in 18 points, and Mel Daniels finished with 17 points, 14 rebounds, and four blocks.
Larry Bird Pod
@ (5) '86 Boston Celtics 113, (7) '73 New York Knicks 101
The Celtics shot almost 50 percent and held the Knicks to a 36.6 percent clip to rock chalk and advance to the third round of the winner's bracket. Larry Bird had a near triple-double of 19 points, 13 rebounds, and nine assists, Robert Parish had 18 points and 13 rebounds, Kevin McHale added 17 and 10, and Dennis Johnson finished with 11 points, six rebounds, and five assists for Boston. Dave DeBusschere had 20 points and 10 rebounds to pace the Knicks, Earl Monroe scored 15 points, and Willis Reed finished with 11 points and eight rebounds.
The Heat jumped out to a 37-24 lead after one quarter and never looked back, shooting 48.4 percent from the floor to advance to the third round in upset fashion. Dwyane Wade continues to play extremely well after putting up 24 points, eight rebounds, nine assists, and four steals, Shaquille O'Neal added 24 points and 15 rebounds, Antoine Walker chipped in 17 and 10 off the bench, and Jason Williams scored 11 points for Miami. Zelmo Beaty paced the Stars with 20 points and 11 rebounds, Donnie Freeman added 12 points and six assists, and Willie Wise finished with 10 points and nine rebounds.
Kobe Bryant Pod
(6) '94 Houston Rockets 109, @ (5) '10 Los Angeles Lakers 107
The Rockets shot 50 percent from the floor and led by 11 after three quarters, with the Lakers making some garbage time buckets that actually made this game a little closer than it maybe should have been. The Lakers had no answer for Hakeem Olajuwon, who went off for 31 points, 14 rebounds, and seven blocks, Otis Thorpe added 21 points and nine rebounds, and Vernon Maxwell scored 16 points for Houston. Seven Lakers scored in double figures, led by 16 points and 13 rebounds for Pau Gasol, while Lamar Odom added 12 and 10, Andrew Bynum logged 15 and 11, and Kobe Bryant finished with 15 points and nine assists.
The Bulls shot just 37.1 percent for the game, but held the Lakers to 10 first quarter points and 28 for the first half, a Tournament of Champions record. Michael Jordan led the way with 15 points, 14 rebounds, and five assists, Scottie Pippen added 16 points and 10 rebounds, Horace Grant chipped in eight and 13, and B.J. Armstrong finished with 16 and five for Chicago. Shaquille O'Neal had 22 points, 13 rebounds, and five assists to pace Los Angeles, while Kobe Bryant scored just 11 points, and Glen Rice and Devean George each scored nine points.
To see the updated bracket, click here.
So of our eight 2-0 teams in this Consolation Bracket, three of them are fifth place teams from Group Play, followed by three sixth place teams and a pair of seventh place teams. They all get a couple days to rest now. Meanwhile, we cut the field down from 24 to 16 tomorrow with our last day of eight games being played in this round. Check back tomorrow to see who survives!
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