NBA Today - May 19
Sat, May 19, 2007
By Associated Press
Saturday, May 19
No games scheduled.
STARS
Friday
-LeBron James, Cavaliers, scored 23 points and had eight assists to lead Cleveland to an 88-72 victory over New Jersey.
-Manu Ginobili, Spurs, had 33 points and 11 rebounds as San Antonio eliminated Phoenix, 4 games to 2, with a 114-106 victory.
REMATCH
The Cleveland Cavaliers advanced to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in 15 years by beating the Nets 88-72 Friday night. Cleveland won the series 4-2 and heads to Detroit on Monday night for its third appearance in a conference finals and the first since 1992. The Cavs led the Pistons 3-2 last year before dropping the final two games.
SOLID AS USUAL
Tim Duncan scored 24 points, 13 rebounds and had a career-high nine blocked shots and the Spurs held on to beat the Suns 114-106 Friday night, advancing to the Western Conference finals.
STRONG IN DEFEAT
Amare Stoudemire back from his one-game suspension for leaving the bench area at the end of Game 4, had 38 points and 12 rebounds in Phoenix''s 114-106 loss to the Suns on Friday night. ... Jason Kidd had 19 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists as New Jersey was eliminated from the playoffs with an 88-72 loss to Cleveland.
FIRED
Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy was fired Friday, less than two weeks after Houston made yet another first-round playoff exit. The Rockets went 52-30 this season but lost to Utah in seven games, raising the possibility Van Gundy was going to resign or be dismissed. This was the Rockets'' third first-round loss in four seasons under Van Gundy.
SPEAKING
''Does God love the Spurs more than the Suns? No, but we love them more than the Suns,'''' Sister Geri Eveler of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word said in a statement before San Antonio''s 114-106 victory over Phoenix on Friday. The sisters planned to pray for San Antonio as ''The Spurs are our boys!''''