FIBA Basketball
USA - Varejao to the rescue
NEW YORK (NBA) - Brazil are counting on Anderson Varejao to help them reach the podium at the FIBA World Championship this summer. The power forward's performances for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the
Playoffs results
NEW YORK (NBA) - Brazil are counting on Anderson Varejao to help them reach the podium at the FIBA World Championship this summer.
The power forward's performances for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the play-offs suggests he will do just that.
Varejao made two key late plays on defense to ensure the Cleveland Cavaliers edged past the Detroit Pistons in game four of their Eastern Conference semi-finals to tie the series at 2-2 with a 74-72 victory.
With Cleveland holding a 73-72 lead with 29.6 seconds left, the Brazilian forward stepped in and took a charge on Chauncey Billups.
After James missed a jumper on the other end, Varejao altered Richard Hamilton's runner in the lane with about five seconds to go.
"I just tried to be in good position," Varejao said of the charge on Billups. "I anticipated he was going to drive to the basket."
"(Varejao) has about the quickest feet of any guy I know that is 7ft, or 6ft 10in and some hair," Brown joked.
Indeed, Varejao is instantly recognisable by his full head of hair.
"I just tried to be in good position," Varejao said of the charge on Billups. "I anticipated he was going to drive to the basket."
On offense, Varejao finished with 10 points and six rebounds while LeBron James had 22 points but just seven in the second half.
Nowitzki leads Mavs past Spurs
In the evening's other game, Japan-bound stars Dirk Nowitzki of Dallas and Germany and Tony Parker of San Antonio and France went head-to-head and it was the former who celebrated a 123-118 overtime victory to leave the Mavericks with a 3-1 lead in their Western Conference semi-final series.
Parker scored a play-off career-high 33 points while Nowitzki and his Dallas team-mate Jason Terry registered 28 points apiece. In NBA history, teams trailing three games to one in a best-of-seven series have come back to win the series just eight times in 163 opportunities.
"Jason Terry and some of the clutch shots that he made tonight were awesome," Mavericks coach Avery Johnson said.
The Mavericks can eliminate the defending champion Spurs and advance to the conference finals for just the third time in franchise history Wednesday when the teams meet in Game Five in San Antonio.
In a game that featured 20 ties and seven lead changes, San Antonio had a chance to win it at the end of regulation on both defense and offense. However, Spurs forward Bruce Bowen fouled Nowitzki, whose two free throws tied it with 8.5 seconds left, and Tim Duncan's jumper rimmed off as time expired.
Terry opened overtime with a driving layup, giving Dallas a lead it did not relinquish the entire extra session. San Antonio got within 117-116 on Bowen's three-pointer with 2:02 left, but Terry answered with a fadeaway jumper from the baseline 20 seconds later.
Finley made two free throws with 1:01 to play, drawing the Spurs within 121-118. But Terry made his biggest shot on the Mavericks' next trip, draining a stunning high-arching jumper from the right corner over Duncan to cap the scoring with 38 ticks remaining.
"(Duncan) came out further on me than I expected," said Terry, who scored 23 of his points after intermission. "I tried to drive past him but I couldn't. Then I just did what I do and I was lucky enough that the shot went in."
The Spurs failed to get any closer as Parker badly missed two free throws with 32 seconds left and then they waited too long to foul on the Mavericks' possession, ending any hopes of a late comeback.
San Antonio are frustrated because they know the game could have been won in regulation.
With the game tied at 96-96, Finley drained a three-pointer and later threw down a thunderous transition dunk on three defenders to help the Spurs open a 103-98 lead with four minutes to play in regulation.
However, Nowitzki made three free throws - including one following San Antonio's second delay-of-game violation - and Terry knocked down a pair of foul shots to draw Dallas within 105-103 with 2:28 left.
"Dirk and Jason made some big shots and you know we never gave up and continued to do what we do," said Mavericks guard Devin Harris, who finished with 18 points and six assists, serving as a spark-plug for the third straight game. "Everybody played their role."
Jerry Stackhouse drained a tough fadeaway on the Mavericks' next possession to tie the game, but Duncan responded with a hook shot and a free throw on back-to-back trips for a 108-105 advantage with 48 seconds remaining.
Terry then drove to the basket and was fouled with 39 seconds left, making both free throws to create a one-point game. After the Spurs threw away the ensuing in-bounds pass, Nowitzki missed a jumper but Harris gathered the rebound and fed Terry for a 15-footer that he knocked down for a 109-108 lead.
"He was great, especially down the stretch," Nowitzki said of Terry, who had not scored 30 points since January 9 at Boston. "He was aggressive. He got to the line down the stretch in the fourth and made some big shots. He's one of the best clutch shooters that I have ever played with. He just doesn't care
what time it is on the clock."
San Antonio answered right back as Duncan's drive was denied by Erick Dampier but the two-time NBA MVP kicked the ball out to Finley, who connected on a clutch three-pointer with 15.4 ticks left.
Nowitzki was bumped by Bowen on the other end and made both free throws before Duncan's shot over Dampier rimmed off as the buzzer sounded.
PA Sport
NEW YORK (NBA) - Brazil are counting on Anderson Varejao to help them reach the podium at the FIBA World Championship this summer.
The power forward's performances for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the play-offs suggests he will do just that.
Varejao made two key late plays on defense to ensure the Cleveland Cavaliers edged past the Detroit Pistons in game four of their Eastern Conference semi-finals to tie the series at 2-2 with a 74-72 victory.
With Cleveland holding a 73-72 lead with 29.6 seconds left, the Brazilian forward stepped in and took a charge on Chauncey Billups.
After James missed a jumper on the other end, Varejao altered Richard Hamilton's runner in the lane with about five seconds to go.
"I just tried to be in good position," Varejao said of the charge on Billups. "I anticipated he was going to drive to the basket."
"(Varejao) has about the quickest feet of any guy I know that is 7ft, or 6ft 10in and some hair," Brown joked.
Indeed, Varejao is instantly recognisable by his full head of hair.
"I just tried to be in good position," Varejao said of the charge on Billups. "I anticipated he was going to drive to the basket."
On offense, Varejao finished with 10 points and six rebounds while LeBron James had 22 points but just seven in the second half.
Nowitzki leads Mavs past Spurs
In the evening's other game, Japan-bound stars Dirk Nowitzki of Dallas and Germany and Tony Parker of San Antonio and France went head-to-head and it was the former who celebrated a 123-118 overtime victory to leave the Mavericks with a 3-1 lead in their Western Conference semi-final series.
Parker scored a play-off career-high 33 points while Nowitzki and his Dallas team-mate Jason Terry registered 28 points apiece. In NBA history, teams trailing three games to one in a best-of-seven series have come back to win the series just eight times in 163 opportunities.
"Jason Terry and some of the clutch shots that he made tonight were awesome," Mavericks coach Avery Johnson said.
The Mavericks can eliminate the defending champion Spurs and advance to the conference finals for just the third time in franchise history Wednesday when the teams meet in Game Five in San Antonio.
In a game that featured 20 ties and seven lead changes, San Antonio had a chance to win it at the end of regulation on both defense and offense. However, Spurs forward Bruce Bowen fouled Nowitzki, whose two free throws tied it with 8.5 seconds left, and Tim Duncan's jumper rimmed off as time expired.
Terry opened overtime with a driving layup, giving Dallas a lead it did not relinquish the entire extra session. San Antonio got within 117-116 on Bowen's three-pointer with 2:02 left, but Terry answered with a fadeaway jumper from the baseline 20 seconds later.
Finley made two free throws with 1:01 to play, drawing the Spurs within 121-118. But Terry made his biggest shot on the Mavericks' next trip, draining a stunning high-arching jumper from the right corner over Duncan to cap the scoring with 38 ticks remaining.
"(Duncan) came out further on me than I expected," said Terry, who scored 23 of his points after intermission. "I tried to drive past him but I couldn't. Then I just did what I do and I was lucky enough that the shot went in."
The Spurs failed to get any closer as Parker badly missed two free throws with 32 seconds left and then they waited too long to foul on the Mavericks' possession, ending any hopes of a late comeback.
San Antonio are frustrated because they know the game could have been won in regulation.
With the game tied at 96-96, Finley drained a three-pointer and later threw down a thunderous transition dunk on three defenders to help the Spurs open a 103-98 lead with four minutes to play in regulation.
However, Nowitzki made three free throws - including one following San Antonio's second delay-of-game violation - and Terry knocked down a pair of foul shots to draw Dallas within 105-103 with 2:28 left.
"Dirk and Jason made some big shots and you know we never gave up and continued to do what we do," said Mavericks guard Devin Harris, who finished with 18 points and six assists, serving as a spark-plug for the third straight game. "Everybody played their role."
Jerry Stackhouse drained a tough fadeaway on the Mavericks' next possession to tie the game, but Duncan responded with a hook shot and a free throw on back-to-back trips for a 108-105 advantage with 48 seconds remaining.
Terry then drove to the basket and was fouled with 39 seconds left, making both free throws to create a one-point game. After the Spurs threw away the ensuing in-bounds pass, Nowitzki missed a jumper but Harris gathered the rebound and fed Terry for a 15-footer that he knocked down for a 109-108 lead.
"He was great, especially down the stretch," Nowitzki said of Terry, who had not scored 30 points since January 9 at Boston. "He was aggressive. He got to the line down the stretch in the fourth and made some big shots. He's one of the best clutch shooters that I have ever played with. He just doesn't care
what time it is on the clock."
San Antonio answered right back as Duncan's drive was denied by Erick Dampier but the two-time NBA MVP kicked the ball out to Finley, who connected on a clutch three-pointer with 15.4 ticks left.
Nowitzki was bumped by Bowen on the other end and made both free throws before Duncan's shot over Dampier rimmed off as the buzzer sounded.
PA Sport