FloaterDaily Brief
Friday, May 8, 2015Playoffs · 2 games
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2 games, none went to overtime. Biggest comeback: CHI trailed CLE by 6 after the first quarter and won 99–96.

Final · R2 · G3 · Box score
Cavs96
Bulls99
Q1 CHI -6; Q2 CHI -2; Q3 CHI +1; Q4 CHI +3
Final · R2 · G3 · Box score
Rockets99
Clippers124
Q1 LAC +9; Q2 LAC +7; Q3 LAC +23; Q4 LAC +25
On this day · 2013–14May 8, 2014: 2 games. Top scorer: LeBron James (Heat-Nets), 22 points.
May 8 in other seasons2026202520242023202220212019201820172016201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996
The lead · Conference semifinals · Game 3 · Cavs-Bulls

Derrick Rose scores 30, Chicago holds off Cleveland

LeBron James goes for 27 points

Game flow · CHI margin at each break
-15-10-50+5+10+15TipEnd Q1HalfEnd Q3Final0-6-2+1+3CHI AHEAD ↑CLE AHEAD ↓
By quarter
Q1Q2Q3Q4T
Cavs2425242396
Bulls1829272599
Who led
Derrick RosePoints, last 10 games: 2, 23, 15, 34, 14, 13, 15, 25, 14, 30CHI30 PTS · 7 REB · 7 AST
Jimmy ButlerPoints, last 10 games: 21, 25, 31, 24, 33, 20, 16, 20, 18, 20CHI20 PTS · 8 REB · 2 AST
LeBron JamesPoints, last 10 games: 21, 14, 21, 20, 30, 31, 27, 19, 33, 27CLE27 PTS · 8 REB · 14 AST
JR SmithPoints, last 10 games: 24, 12, 0, 28, 0, 9, 7, 15, 8, 14CLE14 PTS · 2 REB · 1 AST
Second story · Rockets-Clippers · R2 · G3

Steady Clippers beat Houston

Leads at every break, then a 124–99 final. JJ Redick led Clippers with 31 points, 1 rebound and 1 assist.

Series tracker · Rockets-Clippers
G1 · @ HOULAC117–101G2 · @ HOUHOU115–109G3 · @ LACLAC124–99
Lead changes
Cavs-Bulls19
Rockets-Clippers3
Shot of the night

D-Rose's three at the buzzer breaks the tie, 99-96 final

The night in charts
Rockets-Clippers combined for 223, 28 more than any other game
Points by game
Rockets-ClippersRockets 99, Clippers 124
223
Cavs-BullsCavs 96, Bulls 99
195
CHI won the closest game by 3
Closest finishes
Cavs-BullsCavs 96, Bulls 99
+3 CHI
Rockets-ClippersRockets 99, Clippers 124
+25 LAC
Redick shot 11-of-14 for the night's hottest hand
Hottest shooting · min 10 FGA
RedickLAC · 31 PTS, 1 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL
79% (11-14)
RiversLAC · 25 PTS, 6 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL
77% (10-13)
BlakeLAC · 22 PTS, 14 REB, 4 AST
50% (10-20)
HardenHOU · 25 PTS, 11 AST, 3 REB, 1 BLK
50% (8-16)
DunleavyCHI · 16 PTS, 6 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL
50% (6-12)
Final · Cavs-Bulls
Cavs 96Bulls 99
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Cavs2425242396
Bulls1829272599
The story
Jimmy Butler had 20 points as Chicago beat Cleveland 99-96

Tristan Thompson led Cleveland with 13 REB, 10 PTS 20 PTS, 8 REB, 5 STL, 2 AST · 7-17 FG, 1-3 3PT

The swing

Down 6 after the first, the Bulls took the second 29-25.

CHI lead by quarter
200 −6−2+1+3 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Final · Rockets-Clippers
Rockets 99Clippers 124
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Rockets2433192399
Clippers33313525124
The story
Austin Rivers' 25 points carried Los Angeles past Houston, 124-99

For Houston, Jason Terry had 13 PTS, 3 AST 25 PTS, 6 REB, 2 AST · 10-13 FG, 3-6 3PT

The swing

The third quarter, 35-19, was where the Clippers built it.

LAC lead by quarter
300 +9+7+23+25 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Fantasy angle

Dwight Howard was the fantasy play: 45.8 FPTS on 14 PTS, 14 REB, 2 AST

Fantasy angle
Heating up
+10.3points, last 3 playoff games vs reg. season avg
Points per game
7.0Reg. season avg17.3Last 3 playoff games

17.3 points a game over his last three playoff games, against 7.0 in the regular season (76 games). Today: 25 points in 23 minutes.

Losing minutes
−10.3minutes, last 3 playoff games vs reg. season avg
Minutes per game
23.0Reg. season avg12.7Last 3 playoff games

12.7 minutes a game over his last three playoff games, against 23.0 in the regular season (82 games). Today: 2 points in 9 minutes.

Stepped-up role
+14.5minutes, today vs reg. season avg
Minutes per game
26.8Reg. season avg41.3Today

41 minutes today, against 26.8 a game in the regular season (82 games). Line: 10 points, 13 rebounds, 1 assists.

Top performances

JJ Redick leads the day with 31

JJ RedickPoints, last 10 games: 10, 16, 7, 17, 13, 19, 14, 17, 12, 31Clippers-Rockets · W
15.6 PPG playoffs to date · +17.1 vs his playoff average before tonight
Season high31 PTS · 1 REB · 1 AST
Derrick RosePoints, last 10 games: 2, 23, 15, 34, 14, 13, 15, 25, 14, 30Bulls-Cavs · W
20.3 PPG playoffs to date · +10.9 vs his playoff average before tonight
30 PTS · 7 REB · 7 AST
LeBron JamesPoints, last 10 games: 21, 14, 21, 20, 30, 31, 27, 19, 33, 27Cavs-Bulls · L
26.7 PPG playoffs to date · +0.3 vs his playoff average before tonight
27 PTS · 8 REB · 14 AST
James HardenPoints, last 10 games: 29, 16, 24, 24, 42, 24, 28, 20, 32, 25Rockets-Clippers · L
27.4 PPG playoffs to date · −2.7 vs his playoff average before tonight
25 PTS · 3 REB · 11 AST
Austin RiversPoints, last 10 games: 2, 4, 11, 16, 2, 3, 0, 17, 10, 25Clippers-Rockets · W
9.0 PPG playoffs to date · +17.8 vs his playoff average before tonight
25 PTS · 6 REB · 2 AST
Blake GriffinPoints, last 10 games: 26, 29, 14, 20, 30, 26, 24, 26, 34, 22Clippers-Rockets · W
25.1 PPG playoffs to date · −3.4 vs his playoff average before tonight
22 PTS · 14 REB · 4 AST