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Sunday, April 29, 2012

Kobe, Bynum unstoppable; Lakers roll Denver - Sioux City Journal

LOS ANGELES -- Kobe Bryant scored 31 points, Andrew Bynum posted the Lakers' first playoff triple-double in 21 years with an NBA postseason record-tying 10 blocked shots, and Los Angeles thoroughly controlled the tempo in a playoff-opening 103-88 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Sunday.

Bynum, the Lakers' All-Star center coming off his best regular season, also had 10 points and 13 rebounds while incredibly blocking 11 percent of the Nuggets' 90 shots.

Bynum had the Lakers' first playoff triple-double since Magic Johnson in the 1991 NBA finals. Fellow 7-footer Pau Gasol added 13 points, eight rebounds and eight assists as the playoff-tested Lakers never trailed.

Danilo Gallinari scored 19 points for the sixth-seeded Nuggets, but the NBA's second-youngest playoff roster struggled to run.

Game 2 is Tuesday night.

HAWKS 83, CELTICS 74

ATLANTA -- Josh Smith scored 22 points and grabbed 18 rebounds, leading Atlanta over Boston in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference playoffs, the final minute turning ugly when Celtics star Rajon Rondo was ejected for bumping an official.

The Hawks, who led by as many as 19 in the first half, were clinging to a four-point lead when Rondo lost his cool with 41 seconds remaining - and may have cost himself a chance to play Game 2 Tuesday night.

Brandon Bass was called for a foul on Smith tussling for a loose ball. Rondo screamed at official Marc Davis, who quickly called a technical. Rondo then bumped Davis with his chest and was tossed out. A suspension could be coming, too.

Rondo scored 20 points and dished out 11 assists, but none of it mattered when he lost his cool. Kevin Garnett bounced back from a miserable start to put up 20 points and 11 rebounds. Smith carried the Hawks on a night when Joe Johnson managed just 11 points on 3-of-15 shooting.

SPURS 106, JAZZ 91

SAN ANTONIO -- Tony Parker scored 28 points and San Antonio beat Utah to win its playoff opener for the first time in four years.

Tim Duncan added 17 points and 11 rebounds, helping the Spurs dodge another early playoff letdown. Despite boasting the No. 1 seed again, San Antonio hadn't won a Game 1 in its last six postseason series - including the one that began a shocking first-round ouster last year.

Paul Millsap led Utah with 20 points. The Jazz hung close until the third, when the NBA's top 3-point shooting team began burying Utah with three in a two-minute burst to finish the quarter.

The Spurs have won 11 in a row.

Game 2 is Wednesday in San Antonio.

LATE SATURDAY

THUNDER 99, MAVERICKS 98

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Kevin Durant scored 25 points and hit the game-winning jumper from the foul line with 1.5 seconds left to lift the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 99-98 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday night in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series.

Durant maneuvered to the free throw line and got off a high-arcing shot that hit off the front of the rim and then off the backboard before falling through.

The defending NBA champion Mavericks, who were out of timeouts, could not get a shot off before the buzzer.

Dirk Nowitzki scored 11 of his 25 points in the final 5 minutes and hit two free throws with 9 seconds left to put Dallas ahead.

Russell Westbrook led the Thunder with 28 points.

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