Nba Tide Lifts Some, Sinks Some Bullets Rise Up, While Cavaliers, Lakers, Hornets Fall Down Or Out
The Bullets are in the playoffs and the Cavaliers aren’t. And the rest of the NBA finally knows what’s to come in the next few days.
On a Sunday that began with much unsettled in the playoff picture, things didn’t get completely sorted out until 9:08 p.m. EDT when the Milwaukee Bucks upset Charlotte 120-100 to knock the Hornets down to the sixth seed in the East.
The playoffs will begin Thursday night with Charlotte at New York, Orlando at Miami, the Los Angeles Clippers at Utah and Minnesota at Houston.
Friday’s first-round games are Washington at Chicago, Portland at the L.A. Lakers, Detroit at Atlanta and Phoenix at Seattle.
The first matter to be settled Sunday was the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Before a less-than-sellout crowd at Gund Arena, the Washington Bullets defeated Cleveland 85-81 to earn the right to face the defending champion Chicago Bulls.
“It’s about time,” Bullets owner Abe Pollin said. “It’s been a long time since we’ve been in the playoffs. But these guys aren’t finished yet. They’re just getting started.”
The Pacific Division title was there for the taking for the Lakers, but Shaquille O’Neal missed two crucial free throws with 1.2 seconds left with Los Angeles trailing by two, and the Lakers went on to lose 100-96 at Portland.
That gave the division title to Seattle and knocked the Lakers down to the No. 4 seed. They will face the Trail Blazers, who won the season series 3-1.
“These guys wanted us in the first round,” O’Neal said, “and now they’ve got us. I’m disappointed, but I’ll sit on this a couple of days and I’ll be back. I’ll see you Friday. Friday you’ll see the real deal.”
Charlotte and Detroit finished with the same record, 54-28, but the Pistons got the higher seed because they won the season series 3-1.
Houston beat San Antonio 103-99 to finish with the same record (57-25) as Seattle. Even though the Rockets are the No. 3 seed and the Sonics are No. 2, Houston would have the home-court advantage if the teams meet in the second round because it won the season series 3-1 over Seattle.
In individual statistical races, Michael Jordan won an unprecedented ninth scoring title with an average of 29.6 points, but it was the first time in those nine seasons that he failed to average at least 30 points per game. His only other times under 30 were his rookie year (1984-85, 28.2 points), his broken-foot season (1985-86, 22.7) and his comeback-from-retirement campaign (1994-95, 26.9).
John Stockton’s nine-year run as the NBA assists leader came to an end as he finished second to Mark Jackson of the Pacers. Jackson averaged 11.4 assists - one more per game than Stockton.
Dennis Rodman, who missed the final 13 games because of a knee injury, won his sixth straight rebounding title with a 16.1 average.