FloaterDaily Brief
Tuesday, May 5, 2009Playoffs · 2 games
← May 4CalendarMay 6 →

2 games, none went to overtime. Every winner was ahead or tied at every quarter break.

Final · R2 · G1 · Box score
Hawks72
Cavs99
Q1 CLE +4; Q2 CLE +5; Q3 CLE +16; Q4 CLE +27
Final · R2 · G2 · Box score
Mavs105
Nuggets117
Q1 DEN +8; Q2 DEN +3; Q3 DEN +3; Q4 DEN +12
On this day · 2007–08May 5, 2008: 2 games. Top scorer: Chris Paul (Hornets-Spurs), 30 points.
May 5 in other seasons20262025202420232021201920182017201620152014201320122010200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996
The lead · Conference semifinals · Game 2 · Mavs-Nuggets

Denver beats Dallas by 12, moves within two of advancing

LeBron James goes for 34 points

Game flow · DEN margin at each break
-20-100+10+20TipEnd Q1HalfEnd Q3Final0+8+3+3+12DEN AHEAD ↑DAL AHEAD ↓
By quarter
Q1Q2Q3Q4T
Mavs22332822105
Nuggets30282831117
Who led
Carmelo AnthonyPoints, last 10 games: 23, 21, 12, 13, 22, 25, 26, 34, 23, 25DEN25 PTS · 5 REB · 5 AST
Nene HilarioPoints, last 10 games: 17, 13, 10, 12, 8, 2, 13, 10, 24, 25DEN25 PTS · 8 REB · 0 AST
Dirk NowitzkiPoints, last 10 games: 29, 34, 30, 19, 14, 20, 12, 31, 28, 35DAL35 PTS · 9 REB · 4 AST
Jason TerryPoints, last 10 games: 13, 22, 23, 12, 16, 10, 10, 19, 15, 21DAL21 PTS · 3 REB · 6 AST
Second story · Hawks-Cavs · R2 · G1

Cleveland leads Atlanta wire to wire

Cleveland was ahead at every break and won 99–72. Best quarter: the third, 28–17. LeBron James led Cleveland with 34 points, 10 rebounds and 3 assists.

Series tracker · Hawks-Cavs
G1 · @ CLECLE99–72
Lead changes
Mavs-Nuggets3
Hawks-Cavs2
The night in charts
Mavs-Nuggets combined for 222, 51 more than any other game
Points by game
Mavs-NuggetsMavs 105, Nuggets 117
222
Hawks-CavsHawks 72, Cavs 99
171
DEN won the closest game by 12
Closest finishes
Mavs-NuggetsMavs 105, Nuggets 117
+12 DEN
Hawks-CavsHawks 72, Cavs 99
+27 CLE
Bibby shot 7-of-10 for the night's hottest hand
Hottest shooting · min 10 FGA
BibbyATL · 19 PTS, 8 AST, 4 REB, 2 STL
70% (7-10)
HilarioDEN · 25 PTS, 8 REB, 1 BLK
67% (8-12)
LeBronCLE · 34 PTS, 10 REB, 4 STL, 3 AST
60% (12-20)
JR SmithDEN · 21 PTS, 3 AST, 2 REB, 2 STL
60% (6-10)
Mo WilliamsCLE · 21 PTS, 1 AST, 1 STL
58% (7-12)
Final · Mavs-Nuggets
Mavs 105Nuggets 117
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Mavs22332822105
Nuggets30282831117
The story
Carmelo Anthony's 25 points carried Denver past Dallas, 117-105

For Dallas, Jason Terry had 21 PTS, 6 AST, 3 REB 25 PTS, 5 REB, 5 AST · 8-21 FG, 1-8 3PT

The swing

The fourth quarter, 31-22, was where the Nuggets built it.

DEN lead by quarter
200 +8+3+3+12 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Final · Hawks-Cavs
Hawks 72Cavs 99
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Hawks2123171172
Cavs2524282299
The story
Delonte West had 13 points and 9 assists as Cleveland beat Atlanta 99-72

Josh Smith led Atlanta with 22 PTS, 6 REB, 2 AST 13 PTS, 9 AST, 4 REB · 5-11 FG, 1-2 3PT

The swing

The Cavaliers won the third 28-17, their biggest quarter edge.

CLE lead by quarter
300 +4+5+16+27 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Fantasy angle
Heating up
+5.4points, last 3 playoff games vs reg. season avg
Points per game
25.9Reg. season avg31.3Last 3 playoff games

31.3 points a game over his last three playoff games, against 25.9 in the regular season (81 games). Today: 35 points in 40 minutes.

Losing minutes
−21.9minutes, last 3 playoff games vs reg. season avg
Minutes per game
34.3Reg. season avg12.4Last 3 playoff games

12.4 minutes a game over his last three playoff games, against 34.3 in the regular season (61 games). Today: 1 points in 13 minutes.

Cooling off
−7.3points, last 3 playoff games vs reg. season avg
Points per game
18.0Reg. season avg10.7Last 3 playoff games

10.7 points a game over his last three playoff games, against 18.0 in the regular season (52 games). Today: 0 points in 6 minutes.

Top performances

Dirk Nowitzki leads the day with 35

Dirk NowitzkiPoints, last 10 games: 29, 34, 30, 19, 14, 20, 12, 31, 28, 35Mavs-Nuggets · L
22.7 PPG playoffs to date · +14.3 vs his playoff average before tonight
35 PTS · 9 REB · 4 AST
LeBron JamesPoints, last 10 games: 38, 21, 27, 29, 37, 38, 29, 25, 36, 34Cavs-Hawks · W
32.4 PPG playoffs to date · +2.0 vs his playoff average before tonight
34 PTS · 10 REB · 3 AST
Carmelo AnthonyPoints, last 10 games: 23, 21, 12, 13, 22, 25, 26, 34, 23, 25Nuggets-Mavs · W
24.0 PPG playoffs to date · +1.2 vs his playoff average before tonight
25 PTS · 5 REB · 5 AST
Nene HilarioPoints, last 10 games: 17, 13, 10, 12, 8, 2, 13, 10, 24, 25Nuggets-Mavs · W
13.4 PPG playoffs to date · +13.5 vs his playoff average before tonight
25 PTS · 8 REB · 0 AST
Josh SmithPoints, last 10 games: 8, 7, 23, 17, 13, 13, 20, 7, 21, 22Hawks-Cavs · L
17.0 PPG playoffs to date · +5.7 vs his playoff average before tonight
22 PTS · 6 REB · 2 AST
Jason TerryPoints, last 10 games: 13, 22, 23, 12, 16, 10, 10, 19, 15, 21Mavs-Nuggets · L
14.7 PPG playoffs to date · +7.3 vs his playoff average before tonight
21 PTS · 3 REB · 6 AST