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| Detroit G Billups expected to be ready for East finals |
NBA Basketball |
05/15/2008 |
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| 11-86, for their only setback of the series, as reserve guards Rodney Stuckey and Lindsey Hunter stepped in for Billups and assisted Detroit to victories in Game 4 and 5 to wrap up the series, 4-1. The Pistons became the first team since the 1984-89 Los Angeles Lakers to reach six straight conference finals, and will square off against either the Boston Celtics or Cleveland Cavaliers. The Celtics lead the Cavs, 3-2, in their conference semifinals series, and a Boston win in Game 6 on Friday would set Game 1 of th |
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| Utah's Kirilenko misses practice before Game 6 |
NBA Basketball |
05/15/2008 |
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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -Utah Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko missed practice Thursday because of a travel visa, a day before Utah faced the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals. Agent Marc Fleisher said Kirilenko had to finalize a travel visa for a family trip to France this summer and Thursday was the only day he could do it without having to wait another month. Fleisher said Kirilenko, who is a Russian citizen, told the Jazz ahead of time about the conflict and was given permission |
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| Pistons' Billups ready for conference finals |
NBA Basketball |
05/15/2008 |
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| ou're playing well.'' The Pistons have won seven of their past eight games, including one at Orlando to make them the first team to win a road game in the second round. Detroit is in the conference finals for the sixth straight year, joining the Los Angeles Lakers of the 1980s as the only teams to be that consistent in the NBA playoffs since the league expanded two-plus decades ago. Before Detroit eliminated the Magic on Tuesday night, Pistons power forward Antonio McDyess was told his grandmother died. He |
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| Ainge chosen top exec in NBA |
NBA Basketball |
05/14/2008 |
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| e NBA aware that the Celtics were serious,'' Allen said before Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinal against the Cleveland Cavaliers. In the voting by general managers and other executives from all 30 teams, Ainge received 18 of the 47 votes. Los Angeles Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak had 14 votes and New Orleans Hornets general manager Jeff Bower who had 12. ``He orchestrated a stunning and record setting turnaround of a struggling team with two great trades and various other roster acquisitions,' |
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| Current Pistons join Showtime Lakers in NBA lore |
NBA Basketball |
05/14/2008 |
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| l in Game 6 on Friday night, the Pistons might play as soon as Sunday. If that series is pushed to a Game 7 on Sunday in Boston, Detroit will have about a week off before making their usual appearance in the NBA's final four. The Pistons and the Los Angeles Lakers are the only franchises to advance to six straight conference finals since the playoffs expanded in 1984, going from a three-round postseason to four. During their run, the Lakers won three titles. The Pistons are shooting for their second during |
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| Magic glum after season-ending loss to Pistons |
NBA Basketball |
05/14/2008 |
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| rs are free agents: Maurice Evans, Keyon Dooling, Carlos Arroyo, Pat Garrity and James Augustine. In addition, Keith Bogans and Adonal Foyle have player options. Evans was acquired with Brian Cook in a midseason trade that sent Trevor Ariza to the Los Angeles Lakers. He started 47 games for Orlando, averaging nine points, and fit in well with its freewheeling 3-point game. Dooling signed with Orlando three years ago, and emerged as its best defensive option at guard. Arroyo started 20 games, at one point seem |
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| Jazz, Lakers battle in pivotal Game 5 of West semis |
NBA Basketball |
05/14/2008 |
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| (Best E Casino) - The Los Angeles Lakers and Utah Jazz meet for Game 5 of their Western Conference semifinal series tonight at the Staples Center. This best-of-seven series is tied at 2-2. Game 6 is scheduled for Friday in Utah. The home team has won all four games in this set. In Game 4, Deron Williams poured in 29 points and dished out 14 assists as the fourth-seeded Jazz survived a late surge and downed the top-seeded Lakers, 123-115, in overtime at EnergySolutions Arena. Mehmet Okur scored 18 points and gra |
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| Pistons reach East finals for sixth straight year |
NBA Basketball |
05/14/2008 |
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| d. The Celtics and Cavaliers are even with Game 5 scheduled for Wednesday in Boston. Antonio McDyess scored eight of his 17 points during a huge run in the fourth quarter and totaled 11 rebounds for Detroit, which is the first team since the 1984-89 Los Angeles Lakers to reach six straight conference finals. "It's good we got this over with against a hard, tough team," Pistons coach Flip Saunders said. "We have a chance to rest here, a chance to prepare." Hamilton went just 7-of-20 from the field, but hit all 16 |
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| Horry sets playoff appearance record |
NBA Basketball |
05/13/2008 |
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| oming into the playoffs, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar held the previous record for playoff appearances with 237. Horry, in his 16th season, has been in the playoffs in all of them, winning two championships with the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs and three with the Los Angeles Lakers.Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. |
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| Billups out for the Pistons in Game 5 vs. Magic |
NBA Basketball |
05/13/2008 |
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| Billups was hurt early in Game 3 and did not play the following game, which Detroit won to take a 3-1 lead in the series. The Pistons were back at home with a chance to become the first franchise to play in six straight conference finals since the Los Angeles Lakers did it from 1984-89. ``I hope we can end it,'' Billups said. ``It would be great on a number of levels.'' A win Tuesday night would give Detroit a needed break as Boston and Cleveland play out their Eastern Conference semifinal, which is tied 2- |
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