Yesterday I ran with four series of this round, but you'll note that I haven't set up any matchups for the quarterfinals. Those matchups will be set today.
As has been the case throughout the Elimination Stage, these four series are best of seven played in a 2-2-1-1-1 format. Home court advantage goes to the higher seeded team based on placing in Group Play. All simulations are provided by WhatIfSports.com. Let's get to it!
LeBron James Pod
Game 1: '77 POR 111, @ '13 MIA 102 ('77 POR leads 1-0)
Game 2: @ '13 MIA 104, '77 POR 84 (Series tied 1-1)
Game 3: '13 MIA 103, @ '77 POR 100 ('13 MIA leads 2-1)
Game 4: @ '77 POR 113, '13 MIA 92 (Series tied 2-2)
Game 5: @ '13 MIA 114, '77 POR 101 ('13 MIA leads 3-2)
Game 6: @ '77 POR 107, '13 MIA 104 (Series tied 3-3)
Game 7: @ '13 MIA 105, '77 POR 97 ('13 MIA wins 4-3)
Miami led by seven going into the fourth quarter of Game 1, but committed four turnovers in the final two-plus minutes and only scored 11 points in the frame as Maurice Lucas put up 21 points and 15 rebounds, and Bill Walton added 13 points, 18 rebounds, and five assists to steal the road win for Portland. The Heat roared back in Game 2 behind 31 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists from Dwyane Wade while the Blazers shot just 34.1 percent and battled some foul trouble. Chris Bosh buried a go-ahead three with 4:19 left in Game 3 and Miami iced the game with several free throws, getting 26 points, 12 rebounds, nine assists, and four steals to put the Heat up two games to one. Walton exploded for 22 points and 24 rebounds in Game 4, Lucas added 23 and eight, and Lionel Hollins finished with 10 points and 12 assists to even the series back up. LeBron put up 22 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists back home, Dwyane Wade scored 24 points, and the Heat hit 10 of their 17 threes to pull within a game of getting back to the quarterfinals. Game 6 was a back and forth affair, but Larry Steele knocked home the game-winner with 1:40 to go, Walton went off for 27 points, 17 rebounds, and six assists, Lionel Hollins scored 20 points, and Lucas finished with 18 points and 14 rebounds to force a Game 7 despite a triple-double of 30 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists from LeBron. James then finished the Blazers off in Game 7 with 35 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists, Wade had 23 points and 10 assists, and Bosh chipped in 21 points and nine rebounds to beat out Walton's 21 points and 17 rebounds and advance the top seed to the quarterfinals.
Larry Bird Pod
(4) '02 Los Angeles Lakers vs (2) '11 Dallas MavericksGame 1: @ '11 DAL 111, '02 LAL 102 ('11 DAL leads 1-0)
Game 2: '02 LAL 103, @ '11 DAL 94 (Series tied 1-1)
Game 3: @ '02 LAL 110, '11 DAL 93 ('02 LAL leads 2-1)
Game 4: '11 DAL 88, @ '02 LAL 85 (Series tied 2-2)
Game 5: '02 LAL 116, @ '11 DAL 105 ('02 LAL leads 3-2)
Game 6: @ '02 LAL 100, '11 DAL 89 ('02 LAL wins 4-2)
The Lakers led by 11 after one quarter in Game 1, but couldn't hold it as Dirk Nowitzki's 19 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists combined with 19 points apiece from Caron Butler and Jason Terry to beat 22 points, 16 rebounds, and five blocks from Shaquille O'Neal while Robert Horry had six points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists and Kobe Bryant chipped in 17, seven, and seven, but the Lakers missed 15 free throws for the contest. The Lakers improved from the line in Game 2, but also got 31 points and 11 rebounds out of Shaq and 25 points, eight rebounds, and five assists from Bryant to trump Jason Kidd's seven rebounds, 11 assists, and five steals and come back from down six going into the final frame to even up the series. Shaq put up 27 points and 11 rebounds in Game 3 while Kobe added 22 points and eight assists and the Lakers got good balance from their supporting cast to win Game 3 at home. Dirk bounced back in Game 4 with 30 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists, including eight straight points spanning a little over two minutes to help the Mavericks hang on to even up the series. The Lakers outscored Dallas 38-17 in the fourth quarter of Game 5 and got 31 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists from Kobe to go back home with a chance to advance. Back in LA, the Lakers jumped out to a 29-18 lead after one quarter, maintained the gap going into halftime, and held the Mavs to just nine third quarter points to seal the huge upset and advance. Shaq had 22 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists, while Kobe added 21 points and five assists in the clincher.
Isiah Thomas Pod
Game 1: @ '72 LAL 116, '85 LAL 109 ('72 LAL leads 1-0)
Game 2: '85 LAL 125, @ '72 LAL 120 (Series tied 1-1)
Game 3: '72 LAL 118, @ '85 LAL 100 ('72 LAL leads 2-1)
Game 4: @ '85 LAL 125, '72 LAL 116 (Series tied 2-2)
Game 5: '85 LAL 115, @ '72 LAL 101 ('85 LAL leads 3-2)
Game 6: @ '85 LAL 136, '72 LAL 133 (OT) ('85 LAL wins 4-2)
Gail Goodrich exploded for 29 points and Jerry West added 23 points and seven assists to give the '72 Lakers the early series advantage despite 24 points and 12 rebounds from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, though a 6-11 day from beyond the arc for the '72 team certainly helped in Game 1. Showtime got to the line 37 times in Game 2 and got 29 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists from Magic Johnson while Kareem added 25 points and seven rebounds to edge out 22 points and 18 rebounds from Wilt Chamberlain and even the series. West went off in Game 3 with 26 points, six rebounds, and nine assists, and Goodrich added 26 points while the '72 Lakers forced 21 turnovers to grab a road win despite a triple-double of 21 points, 11 rebounds, and 13 assists for Magic. James Worthy broke out in Game 4 with 35 points, six rebounds, and five assists, Magic added 21, seven, and 14, and Kareem finished with 25 points, 10 rebounds, and four blocks to get the '85 Lakers back to even despite 22 points and 21 rebounds from Wilt as well as 22 points and nine assists from West. Kareem put up 27 points and seven rebounds in Game 5, Magic added 10 points, seven rebounds, and 14 assists, and Kurt Rambis broke out with 12 points and 13 rebounds to give '85 Los Angeles its first series lead and a chance to advance at home. Gail Goodrich split a pair of free throws with 17 seconds left in Game 6 on Kareem's sixth foul, and Bob McAdoo knocked down a pair with eight seconds left to force the extra session, then put the '85 Lakers ahead for good just over a minute into overtime, and Jerry West missed a three at the buzzer that would have forced a second overtime, and the '85 team moves on. Worthy went off for 33 points, Magic had another triple-double with 21 points, 13 rebounds, and 16 assists, Byron Scott had 20 points and 11 assists, and McAdoo finished with 16 points and eight rebounds off the bench to relieve Kareem, who did finish with 23 and eight.
Michael Jordan Pod
Game 1: @ '92 CHI 112, '96 CHI 98 ('92 CHI leads 1-0)
Game 2: '96 CHI 94, @ '92 CHI 85 (Series tied 1-1)
Game 3: '92 CHI 88, @ '96 CHI 82 ('92 CHI leads 2-1)
Game 4: '92 CHI 105, @ '96 CHI 102 ('92 CHI leads 3-1)
Game 5: '96 CHI 111, @ '92 CHI 105 ('92 CHI leads 3-2)
Game 6: '92 CHI 119, @ '96 CHI 110 ('92 CHI wins 4-2)
'92 Scottie Pippen put up 26 points, eight rebounds, and five assists, Horace Grant added 11 points and 14 rebounds, and Bill Cartwright chipped in 16 and five to outduel 24 points, five assists, and five steals from '96 Michael Jordan as the '92 Bulls took the early series lead. The '96 Bulls bounced back in Game 2 behind 34 points, six rebounds, and five assists from Jordan as well as 16, seven, and seven from '96 Pippen. The '96 Bulls scored just six third quarter points in Game 3 and, despite a 7-11 day from three point range, their 21 turnovers cost them Game 3 as '92 Jordan put up 26 points, eight rebounds, and five assists while '92 Pippen added 20, six, and seven along with four steals. Horace Grant buried the Game 4 winner with less than a minute to go, finishing with 12 points and 17 rebounds to help beat out 33 points and seven rebounds from '96 MJ and push the defending champs to the brink. '96 Michael went off for 35 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists in Game 5 to beat out the 27, six, and five posted by his '92 self and keep his team alive. '92 Michael put an end to the comeback in Game 6 with 27 points and eight assists, while '92 Pippen added 15 points, eight rebounds, 11 assists, and four steals, and Horace Grant chipped in 18 points and 10 rebounds. '96 Michael scored 34 points and pulled down eight rebounds in defeat as the two-time defending Champion of Champions has been eliminated.
To see the updated bracket, click here.
However, only two remain now, and they play each other in the Quarterfinals. We also have a Laker cannibalization while both of LeBron's Heat teams remain alive. One will face the 2015 Warriors while the other gets the 2002 Lakers over the next couple of weeks as we narrow the field down even further. Check back soon to see who the Final Four will be in this year's Tournament of Champions!
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