We're continuing with the Round of 32 today. While these games would still be going on in reality, to make things easier I'm simulating a few series at a time to lessen the load and ultimately set up the Round of 16 that will play out starting next week.
Over the last two days I've played out half of the Round of 32 matchups, but have set it up so none of the next round's matchups are set. Four of them will be determined today with the results of today's simulations. Home court advantage in these four series is based on seeding, which is based on placing in Group Play, and the series will be played in a 2-2-1-1-1 format. All simulations are provided by WhatIfSports.com. Let's get to it!
LeBron James Pod
Game 1: @ '13 MIA 108, '75 KEN 102 ('13 MIA leads 1-0)
Game 2: @ '13 MIA 132, '75 KEN 94 ('13 MIA leads 2-0)
Game 3: '13 MIA 118, @ '75 KEN 85 ('13 MIA leads 3-0)
Game 4: @ '75 KEN 98, '13 MIA 89 ('13 MIA leads 3-1)
Game 5: @ '13 MIA 115, '75 KEN 91 ('13 MIA wins 4-1)
The ABA goes 0-2 in the Elimination Stage and leaves the field to just NBA champions. The Colonels had a six point halftime lead in Game 1 and led by as many as seven in the third quarter, but the Heat used a 15-2 run to overtake Kentucky and take the opener. LeBron James had 28 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists, and four blocks, while Dwyane Wade added 28, nine, six, and five to outdo a 20 point, 20 rebound game from Dan Issel. Miami blew the doors off in Game 2, shooting 57.8 percent from the floor and getting a ridiculous triple-double of 36 points, 15 rebounds, and 11 assists from LeBron while Wade and Chris Bosh combined for 56 more points. Miami's percentage dropped to 53.1 percent in Game 3, but a 27 point, six rebound, 11 assist night for LeBron to go with a 26, seven, and nine night for Wade gave the Heat a commanding series lead. Artis Gilmore went off for 23 points, 19 rebounds, and five blocks in Game 4 and Wil Jones added 18 points, eight rebounds, and four steals to help the Colonels steal a game at home and avoid the sweep. LeBron finished Kentucky off back in Miami though with 30 points, five rebounds, nine assists, and six steals in Game 5 while Bosh added 22 points, nine rebounds, and five blocks to overpower Gilmore's 22 points and 20 rebounds.
Isiah Thomas Pod
Game 1: '72 LAL 129, @ '83 PHI 120 ('72 LAL leads 1-0)
Game 2: '72 LAL 113, @ '83 PHI 107 ('72 LAL leads 2-0)
Game 3: @ '72 LAL 119, @ '83 PHI 111 ('72 LAL leads 3-0)
Game 4: @ '72 LAL 117, @ '83 PHI 108 ('72 LAL wins 4-0)
The Sixers won both matchups against the Lakers back in Group A, but it didn't do them any good in as they got completely outclassed by LA in the games that mattered. Gail Goodrich exploded for 36 points in Game 1 and Wilt Chamberlain added 16 points and 18 rebounds to give the Lakers the early road win. Moses Malone put up 24 points and 21 rebounds for the Sixers in Game 2, but Happy Hairston's three point play with 1:26 to play gave the Lakers the lead for good as they went up 2-0 going home. Jim McMillian scored 27 points, Goodrich added 25, and Jerry West finished with 21 points and 10 assists in Game 3 to give Los Angeles a commanding series lead. Andrew Toney scored 33 points for the Sixers in Game 4, but it was too little, too late as West had 22 points and seven assists, Chamberlain put up 15 points and 14 rebounds, and Hairston added 12 and 10 to complete the sweep.
Larry Bird Pod
Game 1: '02 LAL 116, @ '84 BOS 107 ('02 LAL leads 1-0)
Game 2: '02 LAL 100, @ '84 BOS 81 ('02 LAL leads 2-0)
Game 3: @ '02 LAL 111, '84 BOS 105 ('02 LAL leads 3-0)
Game 4: @ '02 LAL 109, '84 BOS 107 ('02 LAL wins 4-0)
Kobe Bryant scored 31 points and Shaquille O'Neal added 24 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Lakers, while they got help from Larry Bird only playing 25 minutes before fouling out in grabbing the Game 1 victory. Bird was held to 13 points and 11 rebounds in Game 2 and the Celtics had no answer for Shaq's 30 points and 13 rebounds, including 10 on the offensive glass, as Los Angeles stole both games in Beantown. Boston shuffled its starting lineup in Game 3, but they had to try and come back from down 11 after three quarters and couldn't get closer than within two in the final frame as Shaq's 26 points and nine rebounds and 22 points from Kobe put the Celtics on the brink of elimination. Shaq then annihilated Boston in Game 4 with 36 points, 20 rebounds, five assists, and seven blocks while Kobe Bryant added 29 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists to outdo a near triple-double from Bird as LA completed the second upset sweep of a #1 seed in this round.
Michael Jordan Pod
Game 1: @ '96 CHI 108, '80 LAL 102 (OT) ('96 CHI leads 1-0)
Game 2: @ '96 CHI 111, '80 LAL 107 (OT) ('96 CHI leads 2-0)
Game 3: '96 CHI 104, @ '80 LAL 97 ('96 CHI leads 3-0)
Game 4: '96 CHI 110, @ '80 LAL 95 ('96 CHI wins 4-0)
Michael Jordan hit a game-tying three with 24 seconds left in regulation of Game 1, and Jamaal Wilkes missed a shot at the buzzer that could have avoided overtime. Instead, Jordan proceeded to score 10 of his 31 points in the extra session to go with his nine rebounds and six assists to outduel a triple-double from Magic Johnson and give the hosts the early advantage. LA had the edge for much of Game 2 and led by four with 21 seconds to go, but after a Jordan jumper and a pair of missed free throws by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Luc Longley buried a jumper at the buzzer to force yet another overtime game. The Lakers hung tough, but Scottie Pippen and Jordan buried back to back threes, with Jordan's serving as the game-winner to give the defending champs a 2-0 series lead. Jordan dropped 36 points to go with seven rebounds, seven assists, and six steals in the win to beat out a 27 point, 14 rebound night for Kareem. The Bulls didn't need overtime in Game 3 as Jordan scored 30 points and Pippen added 26 points, nine rebounds, four blocks, and five steals while Chicago limited the Lakers to just 10 free throw attempts to their 31. LA turned the ball over 20 times in Game 4 as 16 points apiece from Kareem, Magic, and Wilkes wasn't enough to trump 31 points from Jordan or a 12 point, six rebound, seven assist night off the bench for Toni Kukoc as the Bulls completed the sweep.
To see the updated bracket, click here.
With that, we've established four matchups for the Round of 16. The top seeded 2013 Heat get Bill Walton and the '77 Blazers, the 2002 Lakers get rewarded for their upset with a date with the 2011 Mavericks, and then we have a pair of intrafranchise battles as the '85 and '72 Lakers duel, while the '92 and '96 Bulls go toe to toe.
This makes for four great matchups in the next round, but we still have to decide the other four. After tomorrow's look at the Consolation Bracket, I will be back with our final four series from the Round of 32 and complete the field for the Round of 16!
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