Chucks

Luol Deng – remember when, as a rookie, ‘deng’ was the sound his jumpers made? Now, the 6-foot-9, 22 year old is one of the leaders of the deep and hungry Bulls, averaging 19 points on 52% shooting on the season. Going up against the reigning Champs in game 1, Deng scored a superb 33 points on 14-22 from the field in Chicago’s 5 point win.

Richard Jefferson – RJ Jefferson missed 27 games due to ankle surgery this season, and only when he returned did the Nets surge into the playoffs, winning 10 of their past 13 games. His athleticism and poise allows Vince Carter to be himself (both good and bad), and with Jersey away from home and Carter the focus of a packed Raptors crowd, Jefferson scored 28 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals and a block.

Rip Hamilton – although giving up 28 pounds to the versatile Grant Hill, Hamilton nonetheless was a factor on both ends in this key matchup as the Pistons started their 2007 playoff campaign with a W. Rip scored 22 points, had 4 rebounds and 4 assists, and not a single turnover in 43 minutes of play.

Yao Ming – the pre- and post-game talk may all be about Tracy McGrady, but it was the big man in the middle who set the tone for Houston’s crucial game 1 victory. As the Rockets’ offense struggled in the first half, Yao was nigh unguardable with his flat-footed jumpers and smooth stroke at the FT line. Just as important, his defensive presence and activity, combined, anchored the Rockets impenetrable D. Yao finished with a classy 28 and 14 statline.

Chumps

Eddie Jones – it’s fair to say the Heat wouldn’t have made the playoffs this season without him, as Jones contributed leadership, defense and 10 points per game at either of the swing positions since re-joining the Heat from Memphis mid-year. The trouble is, when you rely on one guy so much, you get knocked off course when he’s having a poor game, such as Jones’ 2 point, 4 foul, 0-4 shooting effort Saturday.

Carlos Boozer – it had been a season to remember for the re-born Utah power forward, but his first-ever playoff game was one to forget. Psyched out of the paint by Yao’s 7-6 frame, Boozer adjusted but put too much arc on his jumpshot, missing 13 of 17 shots from the field on his way to a frustrating 11 point, 12 board, 4 turnover night.

Joey Graham – the 6-7 swingman from Oklahoma St is in his second year with the Raptors, yet after playing in 17 minutes per night over the regular season, he found himself on the court for 35 minutes matched up against Carter and Jefferson, scoring just 4 points. Meanwhile, Mo Peterson played just 6 minutes, and went scoreless for the 7th time this season.

Dwight Howard – its your maiden playoff game, and you end up with 13 points, 19 rebounds and 3 blocks. You might be content with that. But Dwight’s not. He failed to neutralise Chris Webber in the paint, committed 6 of his team’s 20 turnovers, and missed 8 free throws as the Magic lost, yes, by 8.

Ruminations

Identical scores in Chicago and Toronto, with the Bulls and Nets both winning 96-91.

If Jason Kidd could only shoot (8 points, 3-11 from the field, 1-8 threes), he would have had yet another playoff triple double (10 rebounds, 15 assists).

It’s not a good sign that Sam Mitchell’s offense is suited to playoff basketball when his starting C, Rasho Nesterovic, had more assists (3) than his starting PG, TJ Ford (2).

Vince Carter tied his season high with 3 blocks.

Jason Collins, who had scored just 1 solitary point in 181 minutes of playing time during New Jersey’s 9 regular season games in April, went on a Wilt-esque rampage in game 1. 6 points in 34 minutes.

Jose Calderon lead Toronto in assists off the bench with 8 in just 21 minutes.

Very quietly, Bostjan Nachbar has found a home in Jersey – his 9 points and 46% shooting this season were career highs – and he is re-paid Lawrence Frank for his trust by putting up 16 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and no turnovers in the series opener.

Chris Bosh, who averaged 10.7 rebounds this season, 8th best in the league, had just 5 boards.

There were 55 personal fouls, and 3 tech fouls, in the Chicago / Miami game.

Ben Wallace made several key plays, drawing fouls on Shaq, including 2 offensive, who ultimately fouled out. He also kept the ball alive on the offensive glass (6 offensive rebounds himself, Miami had 4 total). Well worth $16 million.

With Kirk Hinrich limited by foul trouble to just 17 minutes, Ben Gordon recorded a career high 11 assists.

Gordon and Hinrich combined to miss all 9 threes.

Shaq’s old conditioning problems came to the fore again, with just 2 points in the second half.

Antoine Walker, who hit just 43.8% of his free throws on the season, was 6-6 from the line.

Three Magicians played against their former team – Grant Hill 14 points, Darko Milicic 14 points, Carlos Arroyo 14 minutes.

Chauncey Billups scored 2 points in the first half, and 20 in the second.

Orlando shot 58% from the floor and lost.

The Magic shot 6-20 FTs in the first half, and 12-16 in the second.

Detroit’s starters scored 84 of their 100 points.

Every Magic player had at least 1 turnover.

In the Utah / Houston series, first to 80 wins.

The Rockets started the game on what looked to be an easy 8-0 run after 4 minutes, yet, just 5 minutes later, they were down 17-11.

T-Mac was 0-6, for 1 point at halftime, but ended 8-17, 23 points.

Chuck Hayes started the day in the hospital – but for good reasons, his wife giving birth to a healthy baby.

Turing point – 1:51 to play in the 3rd. After a steal, the Jazz have a 3-on-0 fastbreak, but Fisher chokes on the finger-roll. Okur and Boozer blow the rebound, and an un-marked Yao gets an open dunk on the other end. Rockets take the lead – 54-53.

Boozer and Okur combined for 6-31 shooting from the field, and 3-8 from the line.

Skip-To-My-Lou Alston almost registered a triple double with 9 points, 11 rebounds and 8 assists.