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Pau Gasol finally discovered how it feels to be on the winning side in a postseason game. The 7-foot Spaniard had a whole lot to do with his first victory.


Gasol established playoff highs with 36 points and eight assists and had 16 rebounds as well Sunday as the Los Angeles Lakers took command early in the third quarter and beat the Denver Nuggets 128-114.

Gasol, a 27-year-old forward/center acquired from Memphis on Feb. 1 after spending 6 1/2 seasons with the Grizzlies, was 0-12 in three previous postseasons.

Kobe Bryant scored 18 of his 32 points in the final 8 minutes to keep Los Angeles safely ahead. Lamar Odom had 17 points, 14 rebounds and six assists and Luke Walton added 16 points for the Lakers, who entered having won eight of their last nine regular-season games to earn the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.

Game 2 will be played Wednesday night at Staples Center before the best-of-seven series shifts to Denver for the third and fourth games.

Carmelo Anthony had 30 points and 12 rebounds for the eighth-seeded Nuggets. Allen Iverson also had 30 points before picking up two technical fouls with 2:10 remaining, calling for immediate ejection. Linas Kleiza scored a career playoff high 23 points and J.R. Smith added 15 before fouling out with 3:14 left.

The Nuggets should have it known wasn't going to be their day when several players were stranded on the Santa Monica Freeway for about a half-hour when the team bus broke down on the way to the game.

The bus left the team's hotel about 2 1/2 hours before tipoff as scheduled, but experienced problems about 15 minutes into the trip, spokesman Eric Sebastian said.

"There was a pop, black smoke, there was another pop, more black smoke," Sebastian said. "We rushed off the bus. We were standing on the side of the road."

The Nuggets' second bus, which left the team hotel about 30 minutes after the first one, stopped to pick up their teammates. The entire team made the rest of the trip to the arena, arriving about 90 minutes before game-time.

Denver had a 50-32 regular-season record, its best in 20 years. The Nuggets haven't won a playoff series since 1994, when as the eighth-seed, they upset the top-seeded Seattle SuperSonics, coached by current Denver coach George Karl.

The Lakers led 97-78 entering the fourth quarter, but an 11-2 run by Denver made it 101-91 with 8:17 remaining. The Nuggets drew within nine twice down the stretch, but Bryant wouldn't allow them to get any closer.

Gasol had eight points and Bryant added five during a 15-4 spurt to start the third quarter, giving the Lakers a 73-60 lead. Gasol added six more points during a 14-5 run to finish the period.

Denver isn't known for its defense, finishing next-to-last in points allowed during the regular season, and it showed as the Lakers shot 10-of-16 to begin the game for a 21-11 lead.

It was 26-16 when the Lakers suddenly cooled off and Nuggets got hot. The result was a 25-7 run that put Denver on top 41-33. Kleiza and Smith combined to score Denver's first 20 points of the second quarter, getting 10 each. Then, with Gasol and Walton leading the way, the Lakers outscored the Nuggets 18-9 to finish the period for a 58-56 halftime lead.

Many in the partisan crowd chanted: "DUI! DUI!" late in the opening period as Anthony shot two free throws — a reference to his arrest last week.

Notes:@ Smith picked up a flagrant foul in the opening minute of the fourth quarter, throwing Walton to the floor. ... The Lakers were 3-0 against the Nuggets during the regular season, winning by an average of 16.3 points per game. It was more of the same Sunday. ... The Lakers haven't won a playoff series since 2004, when Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal led them to the NBA finals, where they lost to Detroit in five games. O'Neal was traded to Miami shortly thereafter. ... The Nuggets have been eliminated 4-1 in the first round of the postseason in each of the last four years after failing to make the playoffs for eight straight years. ... The teams are meeting in the playoffs for the first time since Los Angeles swept Denver 3-0 in the first round 21 years ago. The Lakers also eliminated the Nuggets 2-1 in a Western Conference mini-series in 1979 and 4-1 in the conference finals in 1985.

BCM Elba Timisoara has won the game but this is no longer important due to the events.

Pau Gasol finally discovered how it feels to be on the winning side in a postseason game. The 7-foot Spaniard had a whole lot to do with his first victory.


Gasol established playoff highs with 36 points and eight assists and had 16 rebounds as well Sunday as the Los Angeles Lakers took command early in the third quarter and beat the Denver Nuggets 128-114.

Gasol, a 27-year-old forward/center acquired from Memphis on Feb. 1 after spending 6 1/2 seasons with the Grizzlies, was 0-12 in three previous postseasons.

"Every team is highly qualified. Ever since I started watching basketball, I can’t remember a race this tight."

The Lakers earned the top seed in the West by winning eight of their final nine games, giving them 57 victories. Five other teams in the West had at least 54 wins, and the Nuggets earned the eighth spot by winning 50 games for the first time in 20 years.

"A team that’s won 50 games and is the eighth seed, I think that’s remarkable," Lakers star Kobe Bryant said.

Game 1 will be played Sunday at Staples Center, where the Lakers have a 15-2 record against the Nuggets since the arena opened in 1999. The second game will be played Wednesday night before the best-of-seven series shifts to Denver. [ESPN]

Boston Celtics forward Kevin Garnett is back at practice as his team prepares for its first-round series against the Atlanta Hawks.

The 11-time All-Star had missed the previous two practices because of the birth of his first child, The Boston Globe reported.

Several Denver Nuggets players were stranded on the highway for about a half hour Sunday when the team bus broke down on the way to Staples Center for a playoff opener against the Los Angeles Lakers.


The bus left the team's hotel about 2 1/2 hours before tipoff as scheduled, but experienced problems about 15 minutes into the trip, club spokesman Eric Sebastian said. Players and staff had to wait on the Santa Monica Freeway.

"There was a pop, black smoke, there was another pop, more black smoke," Sebastian said. "We rushed off the bus. We were standing on the side of the road."

The Nuggets' second bus, which left the team hotel about 30 minutes after the first one, stopped to pick up their teammates. The entire team made the rest of the trip to the arena, arriving about 90 minutes before game-time.

"It was a good bonding experience," Sebastian said with a smile.

Rookie guard Taurean Green was on the first bus.

"It wasn't scary; it was just a little frustrating," he said. "All we could do is stand around. You don't want to start off the first series being delayed to the arena."

Nuggets coach George Karl was on the second bus. When told what happened, his response was: "Go pick 'em up."

"It was fine," he added. "It was a little pressure relief — laugh a little bit."

ORLANDO, Fla. - Dwight Howard had 25 points and 22 rebounds, and Jameer Nelson scored 24 points, and the Orlando Magic defeated the Toronto Raptors 114-100 Sunday in the opener of their first-round series.

Howard scored six straight points in a 10-0 fourth-quarter run that sealed Orlando's first playoff win since 2003. He also blocked five shots and made 9-of-11 free throws.

Anthony Parker had 24 points and 8 rebounds for Toronto, Chris Bosh scored 21 and Rasho Nesterovic had 16 points and 8 rebounds. Jason Kapono scored 18 off the bench.

The Raptors, who trailed by 20 points after the first quarter, drew within five with 10:24 left in the fourth on two quick 3-pointers by Kapono and a Parker jumper. But Toronto went scoreless for the next 3:16 as Orlando pulled away.

The Magic held Bosh mostly in check. Smothered by Rashard Lewis inside the paint and out, the All-Star power forward started 1-of-6 from the field and scored 13 of his 21 points from the free throw line (13-of-13). Bosh picked up four fouls in the third quarter -- two of them within 20 seconds of one another during tussles with Howard -- and played limited minutes in the fourth.

All five Orlando starters scored in double figures. Hedo Turkoglu scored 21, Maurice Evans had 14 and Lewis added 13. Reserve Keyon Dooling scored 10, and Nelson had seven assists.

Orlando looked unbeatable at the start, hitting its first seven shots and making 9-of-11 3-pointers in the first quarter. Evans scored 11 in the period and Lewis had 10 as Orlando opened a 43-23 lead.

The 43 points were third highest in a first quarter for the playoffs, and Orlando's nine 3-pointers tied Boston's record for most in a playoff quarter. Howard blocked three shots in the period and altered several others.

Orlando led by as many as 24 in the first half before Toronto recovered to close the second quarter with a 14-3 run to draw to 60-47 at halftime. Nesterovic scored four in the span and Kapono had eight points -- including two 3-pointers -- as the Magic went scoreless in the quarter's last 4 minutes.

The Magic shot 53 percent in the game, including 13-of-29 from 3-point range, compared with 38 percent and 9-of-20 for Toronto.

Notes:@ Howard had an NBA-leading 69 double-doubles during the regular season, including eight games with at least 20 points and 20 rebounds. ... Game two is Tuesday. ... The Magic turned the arena white and blue by giving fans T-shirts. It was the first time Orlando hosted a playoff series opener since 1999. ... Masters champion Trevor Immelman watched from courtside.

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New Zealand Defeated by Cuba in Olympic pre-test
The Cuban women's basketball team beat New Zealand 75-71 on Saturday in the first match of the Good Luck Beijing CNPC 2008 Women's Basketball International Invitation Tournament.

The match was one of the test events for Beijing Olympics in August.

New Zealand took the lead in the first quarter, 21-19. The score was tied at the end of the second quarter.

Cuba had a lot of turnovers in the third quarter, giving New Zealand several advantages to move ahead to 56-51.

But Cuba closed the gap in the last quarter with four three-point shots and led New Zealand 75-71 to end the match.

"We have a young team and Cuba is a very experienced team," Mike McHugh, New Zealand's coach, said. "It was a very good game for the development of our team, and hopefully it will help us perform well in August at the Olympic Games."

"It was a very close game," Alberto Zabala, Cuba's coach said. "The New Zealand team played much better than they did last June."

"We will focus on training in free throws to improve our skills," Zabala said after the team missed several free throws in the third quarter.

While New Zealand has qualified for the Olympic Games, Cuba will take part in the Women's World Olympic Qualifying Tournament on June 9-15 in Spain.

The current tournament in Beijing runs for eight days at the Olympic Basketball Gymnasium in Haidian District. The gymnasium also will be the site for the Olympic basketball event.

(Source: CRIENGLISH.com)

Iranian women basket team finished fourth in the West Asian Women’s Basketball Championship held in Aleppo, Syria.

The team was beaten by Syria B team 78-70 in the third-fourth place on Friday. Lebanon won over Syria A in the final game and claimed the championship. Syria A and B, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Palestine participated in this five-day tournament.

Wearing a red cloak and bouncing a basketball, Chenang Doje heads to the court in the backyard of his monastery after his Buddhism studies.

With his fellow monks, they emulate the most fashionable dribbling and shooting actions they have seen among the NBA stars.

"I like Michael Jordan very much," said Chenang Doje, a member of the Tsuame Monastery basketball team. "His flying slam dunks are gorgeous. Among the NBA players in service now, I like the (Denver) Nuggets' Allen Iverson."

At an altitude of 3,400 meters, the Tsuame Monastery sits almost atop the Holy Tsuame Mountain in the Tibetan-inhabited Maerkang County, the seat of Aba Tibetan-Qiang Autonomous Prefecture (ATQAP) in southwest China's Sichuan Province. Being half-isolated from the outside world, basketball and the Olympic Games are their most favorite topics of discussion besides Buddhism.

"Our monastery has a half-court," said Cewangtar, the deputy director of the monastery's administrative committee. "We are going to build a full court this year." He said a deputy head of ATQAP had agreed to donate two basketball stands for their new court.

Cewangtar, 39, is also a basketball fan. When hearing the name Yao Ming, the Chinese NBA star with the Houston Rockets, his eyebrows raise just as if hearing the name of an old friend.

He said among the 86 monks at the monastery, half liked playing basketball. Their team often played against other teams of some government departments and enterprises at the bottom of the mountain on weekends.

Chenang Doje, 18, became a monk at the monastery two years ago. As a hoop fan, he found the monastery has a tradition of playing basketball.

"It was very pleasing and unexpected that I can continue to play basketball after I became a lama," he said.

After monks finish their Buddhism lessons they come to the court, while others sit around and watch. As most of the players often wear cloaks with the same red color, they have to distinguish their teammates by faces.

"We are so interested in sports, especially basketball. So we all hope the Olympic Games can be held in our country," Cewangtar said.

However, the monks have only three TV sets. Furthermore, according to monastery rules, they have to wait until weekends to watch sports TV programs such as the NBA. Cewangtar said during the Olympics, monks would be allowed to watch different events everyday.

"I will watch basketball and track and field," said 21-year-old Nyi'ma Doje after sinking a three-point shot while playing a pick-up game with his fellow monks. "I wish for the Chinese basketball team to put in a good performance, especially Yao Ming."

"Sports and Buddhism are connected," added Cewangtar. "Sports can make people strong and healthy. Without a healthy body, one cannot practice Buddhism effectively."

The monks held a Buddhist ceremony in February to pray for the Olympics. A banner with Chinese characters reading "the Tsuame Monastery Buddhist ceremony of praying for the Beijing Olympics" still hangs in the hall of chanting scriptures.

The monks routinely chant scriptures each morning. They pray for a prosperous and peaceful society without war, disease and disaster. Now they have another goal -- praying for a successful Olympics.

"We cannot make economic contributions to the Olympics, however, we can pray for it," Cewangtar said.

Tasha McDowell has big plans for Broncos

Within minutes of being introduced as Western Michigan University's fifth women's basketball coach, Tasha McDowell put her team to work.

However, it didn't involve running or practicing jump shots. They merely walked up and stood around McDowell while she delivered her first comments in the University Arena press room Saturday afternoon. That point illustrated one of the rookie coach's philosophies -- unity.

"One of the things we've talked about briefly and we will stick to throughout the years is that everything we do, we're going to do it together," McDowell, who spent the last three seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Wisconsin, said. "I want to make sure we start to grow together as a team and as a family."

McDowell stressed the importance of togetherness and open communication during her opening address, and said she has plans to apply many of the exercises off the court she's learned in her 11-year coaching career.

"If someone's having a bad day, we can put them in the hot seat -- where you circle up and write good things about them ... that can brighten their day," she said. "We'll also have events at my house in terms of getting to know one another."

On the court, McDowell said she will emphasize defense, and plans to use full-court pressure and a lot of man-to-man, in-your-face defenses.

Offensively, her strategy is simple -- run.

"We want to score as often and as quickly as we can," she said. "We want our best offense to be our best defense. We're going to try to score in the 80s and limit (opponents) to the 60s."

That has point guard Tiera DeLaHoussaye excited.

"I love to run," she said. "Run-and-gun is one of the main parts of my game. If we can do that collectively, it will make everything much better."

The Broncos' floor general also is thrilled to have a former point guard as a coach.
"Just to have someone there with as much knowledge as she has and as much experience, every day will be a learning experience," she said.

Though McDowell has only met with the team twice, DeLaHoussaye likes what she has seen.

"She's a very friendly person that's very open," DeLaHoussaye said. "She's a person that you can come up to and talk to. She's very passionate."

WMU athletic director Kathy Beauregard said McDowell, the Broncos' third female basketball coach, is the perfect fit for a team that already possesses strong chemistry.

"Her commitment to the growth of young women and the teaching of young women really stood out along with her infectious enthusiasm," Beauregard said. "I called all over the country to try to find someone that had something bad to say about (McDowell), and I couldn't get anything."

McDowell's five-year contract will consist of a $150,000 base salary with incentives, Beauregard said.

Beauregard said she began with more than 100 candidates. McDowell and one other finalist, whose name WMU officials would not disclose, were then brought to campus to meet president John Dunn and the players.

WMU becomes the latest addition to the growing trend in the Mid-American Conference of female coaches. The Broncos' Ron Stewart and Toledo's Mark Ehlen both were replaced by women, leaving Kent State's Bob Lindsay and Bowling Green's Curt Miller as the only male head coaches in the 12-team league.

"The sport of women's basketball is one where there have been enough coaches for enough years now, and there's been a growth in women's basketball where it became evident to me that this was an opportunity to diversify our staff," Beauregard said.
Dunn also expressed his enthusiasm for McDowell.

"I was immediately impressed (with McDowell)," he said. "She has a great resume and a great background. ... We're all going to be in for a very, very special treat."

Wisconsin coach Lisa Stone said her former assistant is more than ready for the new job.

"She's going to be awesome," Stone said. "She's ready for this step. She's a great speaker and has a great knowledge of the game. Defense and player development are two of her greatest strengths."

With no head coaching experience, McDowell knows there will be bumps in the road.
But she said she's ready.

"There are (going to be nerves)," she said. "I think you go through the excitement to nervousness, excitement to nervousness, but it's like having a baby. I don't have one of those yet, either, but I hear you're just ready when you're ready. There's no fear in where I am right now and what I plan on doing."

San Antonio Spurs - Phoenix Suns 117-115 in the first playoff game. Tim Duncan Scores 40 points

SAN ANTONIO, April 19 (AP) -- Midway through the first quarter after missing two jumpers, Tim Duncan threw the ball up yet again, then held his arms wide.

This time, would the shot fall?

It did. And much later the Spurs' big man hit an even bigger one. Duncan's first 3 of the season with just ticks left sent his team into double overtime against the revenge-minded Phoenix Suns.

Then it was Manu Ginobili's turn, and his layup with 1.8 seconds left pushed the defending champions past the Suns 117-115 Saturday in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series.

Now the teams have two days to rest from their marathon best-of-seven Western Conference opener before meeting for Game 2 on Tuesday night.

"I got a wide-open shot. Wound it up. Threw it up there and hoped for the best,'' said a clearly tired Duncan, who had 40 points and 15 rebounds.

This year's rematch of what many dubbed last year's real finals - a tense and testy second-round series between the teams that the Spurs won in six games on their way to the title - got off to a wild start and more than met expectations.

"It feels like a finals game,'' Duncan said. "It's the first game of the first series, and we're going to have to muster energy back up.''

Early on, Game 1 did not look like it would turn into a thriller. The Suns controlled play for the first three quarters, leading by as many as 16 points despite early foul trouble for Shaquille O'Neal. The Suns held a six-point lead with a quarter left in regulation.

The Spurs took their first lead of the game late in the fourth quarter, but were down 93-90 with 1:10 to go after Leandro Barbosa's fast-break layup.

With 15 seconds on the clock, Michael Finley tied it at 93 for the Spurs to send it to overtime.

"We had the game won a few times and just weren't tough enough or disciplined enough to make every single play when it counted,'' said Steve Nash, who had 25 points and 13 assists.

Duncan made the big shot in the first overtime. With his team down 104-101, Duncan found himself all alone at the 3-point line.

After only a slight hesitation, he fired the ball and made it with 3 seconds to play. It was Duncan's first 3 of the season. He was 0-for-4 previously.

"I didn't know what was going to happen, honestly,'' Duncan said. "Manu turned the corner, Shaq just totally leaves me and stayed with Manu.''

In the second overtime, O'Neal's dunk tied it at 112 with 1:33 to play. Ginobili's layup put the Spurs ahead.

Nash missed a key 3 with less than a minute to play. After risky, cross-court inbounds pass to the Spurs' Brent Barry, he was fouled. Barry made one of two free throws.

With 15 seconds left, the Suns went to sharp shooter Nash. Nearly falling out of bounds in the corner, he hit a 3 that made it 115-all.

Then Ginobili drove the lane against Raja Bell and got to the hoop, as he often does, almost at will, and his layup fell.

"What I knew, before taking it to the rim, is that Shaq and Amare (Stoudemire) were not there,'' Ginobili said. "So, I knew if I had the opportunity to go get in there, get some legs into the shot, I had an opportunity to finish.''

Tony Parker added 26 points for the Spurs and Ginobili had 24.

"We had a lot of opportunities to win,'' O'Neal said. "You can't make mistakes against a team like that especially here in this building.''

But O'Neal wasn't completely contrite.

"I just wanted to play aggressive, but the floppers prevailed today. Amare and myself are going to continue to play aggressive,'' O'Neal said of his foul trouble. "Hopefully those guys will compete rather than just fall down.''

Stoudemire, who fouled out with 12 seconds left in the first overtime, led the Suns with 33 points. O'Neal scored 11 points.

"They know we let them have one,'' O'Neal said. "All we need is one in this building.''

Phoenix acquired O'Neal in a blockbuster midseason trade for a series such as this one to give the run-and-gun Suns a defensive boost.

O'Neal played just under four minutes in the first quarter after picking up two quick fouls. He was on the court for just 24 seconds in the second quarter before picking up his third foul and sitting out the rest of the half.

O'Neal missed two shots right off, the first when his dunk off an alley-oop pass missed. He didn't score in the first half.

Even though Phoenix got O'Neal to help their half-court game, the Suns, who still like to play quick, had only nine fast-break points in the game.

The Spurs, on the other hand, were able to punish the Suns with their strong suit. They had a 72-46 advantage in the paint.

"They're just not going to fold up their tent and go home,'' Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said. "They're going to make runs. This is their homecourt. You're going to have to beat them.''

Notes: There were quite a few Suns orange T-shirts dotting the crowd. ... The Spurs have eliminated the Suns in three of their last four postseason appearances. ... Finley had 13 points for San Antonio, and Kurt Thomas, who played for the Suns last season, grabbed 10 rebounds. ... Barry was playing just his third game for the Spurs since re-signing with them in March after a February trade sent him from San Antonio to Seattle. He's been sidelined this season with injuries to his calf. ... Spurs coach Gregg Popovich got a technical foul with 11:48 left in the second quarter. ... Parker and Thomas fouled out in the second overtime.

HOUSTON, April 19 (AP) -- Andrei Kirilenko scored 21 points, Carlos Boozer had 20 points and 16 rebounds and the Utah Jazz beat the Houston Rockets 93-82 in the opener of their first-round series Saturday night.

Deron Williams had 20 points and 10 assists as Utah, 17-24 on the road during the regular season, won its second straight playoff game in Houston. The last victory came in Game 7 last season, and that was when Houston got help from Yao Ming.

Yao is not around for this one. He's out for the series with a foot injury and the Rockets have to wonder after Game 1 how they're going to compete with the Jazz inside. Utah had a 34-29 rebounding edge through three quarters and Boozer hit 10 of 20 shots.

Utah's reserves also played well, outscoring Houston's reserves 28-17.

Shane Battier scored 22 and Tracy McGrady had 20 points for Houston, which shot 37 percent (29 of 79).

The Rockets are also playing without starting point guard Rafer Alston, who strained his right hamstring late in the season. His backup, Bobby Jackson, scored seven points on 3-for-15 shooting.

Chris Paul had 35 points and 10 assists in his first career playoff game Saturday night, lifting the New Orleans Hornets to a 104-92 come-from-behind victory over the Dallas Mavericks in Game 1 of their first-round series.

David West in his first playoff game since he was a rookie reserve, scored 23 points, and Tyson Chandler had 10 points and 15 rebounds to help New Orleans storm back from a 12-point halftime deficit and win going away.