FloaterDaily Brief
Sunday, May 3, 2009Playoffs · 2 games
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2 games, none went to overtime. Biggest comeback: DEN trailed DAL by 8 after the first quarter and won 109–95.

Final · R1 · G7 · Box score
Heat78
Hawks91
Q1 ATL +2; Q2 ATL +13; Q3 ATL +16; Q4 ATL +13
Final · R2 · G1 · Box score
Mavs95
Nuggets109
Q1 DEN -8; Q2 DEN +4; Q3 DEN +7; Q4 DEN +14
On this day · 2007–08May 3, 2008: 2 games. Top scorer: David West (Hornets-Spurs), 30 points.
May 3 in other seasons202620252024202320222021201920182017201620152014201320122011201020072006200520042002200120001999199819971996
The lead · Conference semifinals · Game 1 · Mavs-Nuggets

Denver takes Game 1, leads Dallas 1–0

Joe Johnson goes for 27 points

Game flow · DEN margin at each break
-20-100+10+20TipEnd Q1HalfEnd Q3Final0-8+4+7+14DEN AHEAD ↑DAL AHEAD ↓
By quarter
Q1Q2Q3Q4T
Mavs2423282095
Nuggets16353127109
Who led
Nene HilarioPoints, last 10 games: 23, 17, 13, 10, 12, 8, 2, 13, 10, 24DEN24 PTS · 3 REB · 5 AST
Carmelo AnthonyPoints, last 10 games: 31, 23, 21, 12, 13, 22, 25, 26, 34, 23DEN23 PTS · 5 REB · 4 AST
Dirk NowitzkiPoints, last 10 games: 25, 29, 34, 30, 19, 14, 20, 12, 31, 28DAL28 PTS · 10 REB · 4 AST
Jason KiddPoints, last 10 games: 3, 8, 6, 11, 4, 14, 3, 17, 12, 15DAL15 PTS · 4 REB · 4 AST
Second story · Heat-Hawks · R1 · G7

Atlanta keeps Miami at arm's length

The Heat never led at a quarter break. Atlanta won by 13. Joe Johnson led Atlanta with 27 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists.

Series tracker · Heat-Hawks
G1 · @ ATLATL90–64G2 · @ ATLMIA108–93G3 · @ MIAMIA107–78G4 · @ MIAATL81–71G5 · @ ATLATL106–91G6 · @ MIAMIA98–72G7 · @ ATLATL91–78
Lead changes
Mavs-Nuggets9
Heat-Hawks3
The night in charts
Mavs-Nuggets combined for 204, 35 more than any other game
Points by game
Mavs-NuggetsMavs 95, Nuggets 109
204
Heat-HawksHeat 78, Hawks 91
169
ATL won the closest game by 13
Closest finishes
Heat-HawksHeat 78, Hawks 91
+13 ATL
Mavs-NuggetsMavs 95, Nuggets 109
+14 DEN
Melo shot 7-of-10 for the night's hottest hand
Hottest shooting · min 10 FGA
MeloDEN · 23 PTS, 5 REB, 4 AST, 2 STL
70% (7-10)
HilarioDEN · 24 PTS, 5 AST, 3 REB, 2 STL
69% (9-13)
KiddDAL · 15 PTS, 4 REB, 4 AST, 4 STL
60% (6-10)
BeasleyMIA · 17 PTS, 7 REB, 2 BLK
58% (7-12)
Josh SmithATL · 21 PTS, 9 REB, 3 AST, 2 STL
58% (7-12)
Final · Heat-Hawks
Heat 78Hawks 91
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Heat1818162678
Hawks2029192391
The story
Josh Smith had 21 points as Atlanta beat Miami 91-78

Udonis Haslem led Miami with 14 PTS, 13 REB 21 PTS, 9 REB, 3 AST · 7-12 FG, 0-1 3PT

The swing

The Hawks won the second 29-18, their biggest quarter edge.

ATL lead by quarter
200 +2+13+16+13 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Final · Mavs-Nuggets
Mavs 95Nuggets 109
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Mavs2423282095
Nuggets16353127109
The story
Carmelo Anthony's 23 points carried Denver past Dallas, 109-95

For Dallas, Jason Kidd had 15 PTS, 4 REB, 4 AST 23 PTS, 5 REB, 4 AST · 7-10 FG, 2-3 3PT

The swing

The Nuggets trailed by 8 going into the second, then won it 35-23.

DEN lead by quarter
200 −8+4+7+14 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Fantasy angle

Dirk Nowitzki was the fantasy play: 53.0 FPTS on 28 PTS, 10 REB, 4 AST

Fantasy angle
Heating up
+5.7points, last 3 playoff games vs reg. season avg
Points per game
9.0Reg. season avg14.7Last 3 playoff games

14.7 points a game over his last three playoff games, against 9.0 in the regular season (81 games). Today: 15 points in 38 minutes.

Losing minutes
−13.2minutes, last 3 playoff games vs reg. season avg
Minutes per game
33.5Reg. season avg20.3Last 3 playoff games

20.3 minutes a game over his last three playoff games, against 33.5 in the regular season (67 games). Today: 7 points in 32 minutes.

Stepped-up role
+23.7minutes, today vs reg. season avg
Minutes per game
16.2Reg. season avg39.9Today

40 minutes today, against 16.2 a game in the regular season (39 games). Line: 6 points, 5 rebounds, 0 assists.

Top performances

Dwyane Wade leads the day with 31

Dwyane WadePoints, last 10 games: 32, 31, 55, 19, 33, 29, 22, 29, 41, 31Heat-Hawks · L
29.1 PPG playoffs to date · +2.2 vs his playoff average before tonight
31 PTS · 3 REB · 4 AST
Dirk NowitzkiPoints, last 10 games: 25, 29, 34, 30, 19, 14, 20, 12, 31, 28Mavs-Nuggets · L
20.7 PPG playoffs to date · +8.8 vs his playoff average before tonight
28 PTS · 10 REB · 4 AST
Joe JohnsonPoints, last 10 games: 30, 24, 9, 15, 16, 10, 14, 25, 13, 27Hawks-Heat · W
17.1 PPG playoffs to date · +11.5 vs his playoff average before tonight
27 PTS · 5 REB · 4 AST
Nene HilarioPoints, last 10 games: 23, 17, 13, 10, 12, 8, 2, 13, 10, 24Nuggets-Mavs · W
11.5 PPG playoffs to date · +15.0 vs his playoff average before tonight
24 PTS · 3 REB · 5 AST
Carmelo AnthonyPoints, last 10 games: 31, 23, 21, 12, 13, 22, 25, 26, 34, 23Nuggets-Mavs · W
23.8 PPG playoffs to date · −1.0 vs his playoff average before tonight
23 PTS · 5 REB · 4 AST
Josh SmithPoints, last 10 games: 30, 8, 7, 23, 17, 13, 13, 20, 7, 21Hawks-Heat · W
16.3 PPG playoffs to date · +5.5 vs his playoff average before tonight
21 PTS · 9 REB · 3 AST