FloaterDaily Brief
Thursday, May 8, 1997Playoffs · 2 games
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2 games, none went to overtime. Biggest comeback: ATL trailed CHI by 1 after the first quarter and won 103–95.

Final · R2 · G2 · Box score
Hawks103
Bulls95
Q1 ATL -1; Q2 ATL +2; Q3 ATL +6; Q4 ATL +8
Final · R2 · G3 · Box score
Jazz84
Lakers104
Q1 LAL +8; Q2 LAL +13; Q3 LAL +13; Q4 LAL +20
On this day · 1995–96May 8, 1996: 1 game. Top scorer: Shaquille O'Neal (Magic-Hawks), 41 points.
May 8 in other seasons2026202520242023202220212019201820172016201520142013201220112010200920082007200620052004200320022001200019991998
The lead · Conference semifinals · Game 2 · Hawks-Bulls

Atlanta evens the series with Chicago at 1–1

Michael Jordan goes for 27 points

Game flow · ATL margin at each break
-15-10-50+5+10+15TipEnd Q1HalfEnd Q3Final0-1+2+6+8ATL AHEAD ↑CHI AHEAD ↓
By quarter
Q1Q2Q3Q4T
Hawks27262327103
Bulls2823192595
Who led
Steven SmithPoints, last 10 games: 33, 21, 14, 17, 22, 21, 28, 13, 19, 27ATL27 PTS · 2 REB · 0 AST
Mookie BlaylockPoints, last 10 games: 14, 17, 2, 13, 7, 16, 10, 15, 31, 26ATL26 PTS · 7 REB · 9 AST
Michael JordanPoints, last 10 games: 34, 18, 30, 26, 33, 29, 55, 28, 34, 27CHI27 PTS · 16 REB · 6 AST
Scottie PippenPoints, last 10 games: 33, 21, 19, 28, 12, 16, 14, 20, 29, 24CHI24 PTS · 4 REB · 9 AST
Second story · Jazz-Lakers · R2 · G3

Lakers lead Utah wire to wire

Lakers were ahead at every break and won 104–84. Best quarter: the fourth, 32–25. Kobe Bryant led Lakers with 19 points, 1 rebound and 3 assists.

Series tracker · Jazz-Lakers
G1 · @ UTAUTA93–77G2 · @ UTAUTA103–101G3 · @ LALLAL104–84
The night in charts
Hawks-Bulls combined for 198, 10 more than any other game
Points by game
Hawks-BullsHawks 103, Bulls 95
198
Jazz-LakersJazz 84, Lakers 104
188
ATL won the closest game by 8
Closest finishes
Hawks-BullsHawks 103, Bulls 95
+8 ATL
Jazz-LakersJazz 84, Lakers 104
+20 LAL
Mutombo shot 8-of-11 for the night's hottest hand
Hottest shooting · min 10 FGA
MutomboATL · 19 PTS, 15 REB, 2 BLK, 1 AST
73% (8-11)
BlaylockATL · 26 PTS, 9 AST, 7 REB, 3 STL
69% (9-13)
HornacekUTA · 26 PTS, 4 AST, 1 STL
64% (9-14)
PippenCHI · 24 PTS, 9 AST, 4 REB, 1 STL
50% (9-18)
Van ExelLAL · 17 PTS, 5 AST, 4 REB, 1 STL
50% (7-14)
Final · Hawks-Bulls
Hawks 103Bulls 95
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Hawks27262327103
Bulls2823192595
The story
Mookie Blaylock had 26 points and 9 assists as Atlanta beat Chicago 103-95

Ron Harper led Chicago with 15 PTS, 8 REB, 4 AST 26 PTS, 9 AST, 7 REB, 3 STL · 9-13 FG, 8-9 3PT

The swing

The Hawks won the third 23-19, their biggest quarter edge.

ATL lead by quarter
200 −1+2+6+8 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Final · Jazz-Lakers
Jazz 84Lakers 104
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Jazz2115232584
Lakers29202332104
The story
Kobe Bryant's 19 points carried Los Angeles past Utah, 104-84

For Utah, Karl Malone had 15 PTS, 10 REB 19 PTS, 3 AST, 1 REB · 3-7 FG, 0-2 3PT

The swing

The first quarter, 29-21, was where the Lakers built it.

LAL lead by quarter
200 +8+13+13+20 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Fantasy angle

Robert Horry was the fantasy play: 33.1 FPTS on 8 REB, 7 PTS

Fantasy angle
Heating up
+6.6points, last 3 playoff games vs reg. season avg
Points per game
17.4Reg. season avg24.0Last 3 playoff games

24.0 points a game over his last three playoff games, against 17.4 in the regular season (78 games). Today: 26 points in 46 minutes.

Losing minutes
−7.8minutes, last 3 playoff games vs reg. season avg
Minutes per game
38.1Reg. season avg30.3Last 3 playoff games

30.3 minutes a game over his last three playoff games, against 38.1 in the regular season (51 games). Today: 11 points in 17 minutes.

Stepped-up role
+14.6minutes, today vs reg. season avg
Minutes per game
25.8Reg. season avg40.4Today

40 minutes today, against 25.8 a game in the regular season (54 games). Line: 7 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assists.

Top performances

Michael Jordan leads the day with 27

Michael JordanPoints, last 10 games: 34, 18, 30, 26, 33, 29, 55, 28, 34, 27Bulls-Hawks · L
34.6 PPG playoffs to date · −9.5 vs his playoff average before tonight
27 PTS · 16 REB · 6 AST
Steven SmithPoints, last 10 games: 33, 21, 14, 17, 22, 21, 28, 13, 19, 27Hawks-Bulls · W
21.0 PPG playoffs to date · +7.0 vs his playoff average before tonight
27 PTS · 2 REB · 0 AST
Mookie BlaylockPoints, last 10 games: 14, 17, 2, 13, 7, 16, 10, 15, 31, 26Hawks-Bulls · W
16.9 PPG playoffs to date · +10.7 vs his playoff average before tonight
26 PTS · 7 REB · 9 AST
Jeff HornacekPoints, last 10 games: 27, 12, 7, 10, 12, 11, 28, 10, 21, 26Jazz-Lakers · L
18.0 PPG playoffs to date · +9.6 vs his playoff average before tonight
26 PTS · 0 REB · 4 AST
Scottie PippenPoints, last 10 games: 33, 21, 19, 28, 12, 16, 14, 20, 29, 24Bulls-Hawks · L
20.6 PPG playoffs to date · +4.2 vs his playoff average before tonight
24 PTS · 4 REB · 9 AST
Dikembe MutomboPoints, last 10 games: 17, 13, 2, 26, 17, 15, 16, 17, 10, 19Hawks-Bulls · W
17.1 PPG playoffs to date · +2.2 vs his playoff average before tonight
19 PTS · 15 REB · 1 AST