We're down to the tail end of this stage in the Tournament of Champions, and with it, the field for the Elimination Stage is almost set. Half of the spots have already been claimed, with three groups won outright. Despite that, there are still a couple more opportunities for teams to fight their way in.
Today's schedule features Group H finishing off a back-to-back, while Groups A, C, and G return to the court after taking a much needed Monday off. All simulations are provided by WhatIfSports.com. Let's play!
Group C
@ '00 Los Angeles Lakers 115, '68 Pittsburgh Pipers 96
The Lakers shot 50 percent from the floor to grab their seventh win and set up a win or go home game for the final Elimination Stage spot in the group on Thursday. Shaquille O'Neal led the way with 27 points and 10 rebounds for Los Angeles, Kobe Bryant added 26 points, six rebounds, and six assists, and Glen Rice chipped in 19 points and six rebounds. Chico Vaughn paced the Pipers with 23 points, Connie Hawkins had 20 points and six rebounds, and Art Heyman logged 17 points, 14 rebounds, and five assists.
The Spurs get eliminated from contention after turning the ball over 18 times and losing the rebounding battle while Kentucky grabs its sixth win and, at least for the moment, stays alive in group play. Ultimately, the Spurs had no answer for Artis Gilmore, who broke out for 31 points, 18 rebounds, and eight blocks, while Bird Averitt scored 28 points and Dan Issel put up 13 for the Colonels. Tim Duncan paced San Antonio with 11 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, and five blocks, David Robinson had 16 points and 13 rebounds, and Sean Elliott added 18 and five.
@ '05 San Antonio Spurs 102, '81 Boston Celtics 93
The Spurs are locked into third place, but made a strong showing for seeding purposes by winning the rebounding battle and forcing 19 turnovers to grab their 10th win of the tournament. Tim Duncan led the way with 22 points, 10 rebounds, and four blocks, Tony Parker added 20 points, seven rebounds, and six assists, Manu Ginobili chipped in 16 points and seven rebounds, and Radoslav Nesterovic recorded 13 and five for San Antonio. Larry Bird paced the Celtics with 17 points, 17 rebounds, and six assists, Rick Robey scored 14 points off the bench, and Nate Archibald finished with 11 points and seven assists.
@ '12 Miami Heat 103, '08 Boston Celtics 83
The Heat clinch the Group C title after forcing 23 Boston turnovers and holding the Celtics to an even 40 percent shooting for the game. LeBron James had 23 points, 14 rebounds, and eight assists to pace Miami, Dwyane Wade scored 28 points, Chris Bosh had 15 points and five rebounds, and Mario Chalmers scored 14 points. Ray Allen had 18 points and six rebounds, Paul Pierce scored 14 points, and Kevin Garnett added 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Celtics.
Group G
@ '02 Los Angeles Lakers 103, '72 Indiana Pacers 94
The Pacers led by as many as 11 in the fourth quarter, but the Lakers went on a 19-0 run to flip the script and clinch a berth in the Elimination Stage. Shaquille O'Neal had 27 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, and four blocks, Kobe Bryant added 23 points and 13 rebounds, and Derek Fisher scored all 12 of his points in the fourth quarter, 10 of which came during that 19-0 run. Roger A. Brown had 24 points and six rebounds to pace Indiana, Mel Daniels added 18 points and 20 rebounds, and Freddie Lewis chipped in 15 points and six assists.
The Hawks opened the fourth quarter on a 12-0 run to erase an 11 point deficit, then went on a 10-0 run late in the quarter to grab the lead and build it beyond what Boston could come back from as St. Louis closes its tournament on a high note. Cliff Hagan went off for 28 points, 14 rebounds, and eight assists to lead the way, Bob Pettit added 22 points and 16 rebounds, Chuck Share chipped in 17 and eight, and Ed Macauley scored 13 points off the bench for the Hawks. They spoiled a 37 point game for Sam Jones, while John Havlicek added 21 points and 10 assists, and Bill Russell finished with 10 points, 25 rebounds, and seven assists for the Celtics.
'97 Chicago Bulls 115, @ '64 Boston Celtics 91
The Bulls win Group G outright after holding Boston to 36.6 percent shooting and winning the battle on the boards en route to their 12th victory. Michael Jordan had 31 points and six rebounds, Scottie Pippen logged 20 points, nine rebounds, and six assists, Toni Kukoc added 16 points and five rebounds, and Ron Harper finished with 12 points, five rebounds, and five assists for Chicago. Bill Russell paced the Celtics with 17 points and 19 rebounds, John Havlicek chipped in 21 and five, and Frank Ramsey scored 10 points off the bench.
@ '11 Dallas Mavericks 123, '67 Philadelphis 76ers 109
Dallas punches its ticket to the Elimination Stage and remains a game up on the '02 Lakers for the #2 seed with a 20 turnover effort on defense. The Sixers also missed 14 free throws to offset a 51.9 percent shooting day and drop their 10th game. Dirk Nowitzki had 29 points and seven rebounds to pace the Mavericks, Jason Kidd added five points, five rebounds, and 17 assists, Jason Terry chipped in 20 points and six assists, and Shawn Marion scored 14 points off the bench. Hal Greer scored 23 points to pace the Sixers, Wilt Chamberlain added 13 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists, and Wali Jones finished with 17, five, and five.
Group H
@ '73 New York Knicks 103, '13 Miami Heat 90
The Knicks shot 50.6 percent and forced 26 turnovers to pull a huge upset against the group champs and throw their hat into the ring late for a berth in the Elimination Stage. Dave DeBusschere put up 26 points and 10 rebounds, Willis Reed added 17 and 11, and Earl Monroe chipped in 14 points, five rebounds, and seven assists for New York. LeBron James paced the Heat with 24 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists, Dwyane Wade scored 19 points, and Norris Cole poured in 13 off the bench.
@ '94 Houston Rockets 99, '10 Los Angeles Lakers 87
The Rockets throw a huge monkey wrench into the fight for the final spot by dropping the Lakers, at least for now, into fifth place in Group H. Hakeem Olajuwon had 23 points and 10 rebounds to pace Houston, Otis Thorpe dropped 18 and 11, Robert Horry had 12 and eight, and Sam Cassell put up 11 points and five assists. Kobe Bryant was held to 12 points, eight rebounds, and five assists, Derek Fisher and Andrew Bynum each had 14 points and five assists, and Pau Gasol logged 10 points and 13 rebounds for Los Angeles.
Milwaukee finishes with an 11-5 record, and thanks to the '80 Lakers' loss clinches the #2 seed. The Bucks forced 21 Boston turnovers and held them to 36.1 percent shooting for the game. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had 23 points, 11 rebounds, and four blocks, Jon McGlocklin scored 19 points, and Bob Dandridge added 18 points, five rebounds, five assists, and four steals for Milwaukee. Bill Russell finished with 12 points and 20 rebounds for Boston, Tommy Heinsohn logged 25 and 13, and Bob Cousy notched 16 points and six assists.
'03 San Antonio Spurs 102, @ '80 Los Angeles Lakers 100
Tim Duncan hit a go-ahead jumper with 27 seconds left, then went 3-4 at the free throw line after that to build the final lead, and Jamaal Wilkes missed a tying shot at the buzzer to force a major showdown for the last two spots going into the final round. Duncan finished with 30 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists, Tony Parker scored 18 points, and David Robinson logged 10 points and nine rebounds for San Antonio. Norm Nixon had 27 points, five rebounds, and seven assists, Jamaal Wilkes added 21 points and nine rebounds, and Magic Johnson chipped in 12 points, eight rebounds, and 10 assists for the Lakers.
Group A
@ '06 Miami Heat 111, '95 Houston Rockets 104
Houston finishes the tournament at 10-6 and, combined with the other results from the group, is eliminated from contention after committing 19 turnovers and missing seven free throws. Shaquille O'Neal exploded for 26 points and 16 rebounds, James Posey added 19 and seven, and Dwyane Wade finished with 14 points, six rebounds, and eight assists for the Heat. Hakeem Olajuwon had 15 points and 10 rebounds before fouling out, Clyde Drexler added 18 and nine, and Otis Thorpe chipped in 15 and six for the Rockets.
'83 Philadelphia 76ers 116, @ '74 Boston Celtics 104
Philly clinches a berth in the Elimination Stage after getting to the line 35 times and shooting 48.5 percent from the floor in their 11th win of the tournament. Julius Erving led the way with 22 points and 12 rebounds, Moses Malone added 19 points, 16 rebounds, and four blocks, Bobby Jones chipped in 15 points and 10 rebounds, and Andrew Toney notched 14 points and six assists for the Sixers. Dave Cowens had a game-high 23 points to go with 16 rebounds, five assists, and four blcoks to pace the Celtics, while Paul Silas added 17 points and 10 rebounds and Jo Jo White scored 16 points.
'72 Los Angeles Lakers 125, @ '65 Boston Celtics 114
The Lakers fell behind by 10 after one quarter, but roared back even with more minutes from the bench players as the Celtics fall to 0-15 and Los Angeles clinches a berth in the Elimination Stage. Seven Lakers scored in double figures led by Jerry West's 23 points, six rebounds, six assists, and four steals, while Wilt Chamberlain added 17 points, 19 rebounds, and four blocks, and Jim Cleamons chipped in 16 points and six assists. Bill Russell paced the Celtics with 20 points, 27 rebounds, and five assists, Sam Jones scored 21 points, and Tommy Heinsohn scored 20 points.
The two teams traded baskets over the final minute and a half of regulation, with Michael Jordan tying the game with 23 seconds to go and Tony Parker missing a floater at the buzzer to force the extra session. Scottie Pippen made a pair of free throws with 41 seconds left to give the Bulls the lead, and they wouldn't trail again as they clinch an Elimination Stage berth. Jordan finished with 30 points, eight rebounds, and nine assists, Scottie Pippen logged 20 points and 18 rebounds, Bill Cartwright had eight points and 12 rebounds, and Horace Grant finished with nine and 11 for Chicago. Tim Duncan notched 20 points and 15 rebounds, Kawhi Leonard added 20 and five, Tony Parker logged 11 points, five rebounds, and nine assists, and Marco Belinelli scored 10 points off the bench for the Spurs, who own the tiebreaker against the '95 Rockets and thus still clinch a berth in the Elimination Stage.
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