All our experts picked the Cavaliers and the Celtics, but Jamey Eisenberg, Greg Urbano and Nunzio Ingrassia all snagged a bonus point for predicting that Cleveland would advance in five games. 

Expert Scores
Expert	Right	Wrong	Bonus	Total
Sergio Gonzalez	3	0	1	7
Jamie Eisenberg	3	0	1	7
Nunzio Ingrassia	3	0	1	7
Gerg Urbano	3	0	1	7
Ken Berger	3	0	0	6
NBA2K10	3	0	0	6
Right = correct pick (2pts) - Wrong = wrong pick (0pts) - Bonus = correct number of games (1pt)

BRACKET & SCHEDULE

GameTracker | Box Score | Full Play-by-Play | Shot Chart | Photos

Antawn Jamison scored 25 points, LeBron James just missed a triple-double and the Cleveland Cavaliers advanced to a playoff date with Boston by beating Chicago 96-94 in Game 5 on Tuesday night in perhaps Vinny Del Negro's final game as Bulls coach.

James, favoring a tender right elbow that appears to hurt worse than he's letting on, scored 19 points -- 16 in the second half -- and added 10 rebounds and nine assists as the Cavs finally saddled the stubborn Bulls to win the series 4-1. Unable to lift his right arm, James was forced to shoot a free throw left-handed with 7.8 seconds left.

Cleveland will face the Celtics, reuniting teams that don't like each other and who played a testy seven-game series in 2008.

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BRACKET & SCHEDULE

7 p.m. ET - Celtics vs. Heat (Boston leads series, 2-1)

• Wade needs an encore to keep the Heat alive (Miami Herald)
• O'Neal wants to reward supportive fans (Miami Herald)
• Heat ready for long-awaited Boston breakthrough (South Florida Sun Sentinel)
• Word games help Spoelstra motivate in Miami (South Florida Sun Sentinel)
• While Wade may be thinking future, Paul Pierce thinking present (Boston Herald)
• Ray Allen getting extra work on free throws (Boston Herald)
• Celtics need to stop the one-man show (Boston Herald)
• Heat have an outside shot (Boston Globe)
• Loss gives Boston a sense of urgency (Boston Globe)

 

8 p.m. ET - Bulls vs. Cavaliers (Cleveland leads series, 3-1)

• Cavs strategy for defending Derrick Rose? Guesswork (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
• Defense will be the key for the Cavs (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
• LeBron delivering on his goal to elevate game for the playoffs (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
• Bulls not counting themselves out (Chicago Tribune)
• Del Negro's job security issues don't faze Bulls players (Chicago Tribune)
• LeBron loves Chicago, but will break its heart (Chicago Tribune)

9:30 p.m. ET - Spurs vs. Mavericks (San Antonio leads series, 3-1)

• Spurs playing Wrestlemania-style basketball (San Antonio Express-News)
• Mavericks have reasons to believe right in their locker room (San Antonio Express-News)
• Ginobili narrowly avoided big miscue (San Antonio Express-News)
• Good news: Mavericks at home. Bad news: Everything else. (Dallas Morning News)
• Shawn Marion: 'I don't see no fat lady' (Dallas Morning News)
• Nowitzki expects more double teams (Fort Worth Star-Telegram)
• A Dallas victory puts the pressure back on San Antonio (Fort Worth Star-Telegram)

10:30 p.m. ET - Thunder vs. Lakers (Series tied, 2-2)

• James Harden on a roll, could disprove Willis Reed (The Oklahoman)
• Young Thunder exploit fast break against Lakers (The Oklahoman)
• Jackson, Kobe still on same page? (The Oklahoman)
• Lakers search for what's missing (Los Angeles Times)
• Ron Artest of old? Not in a Lakers uniform. (The Oklahoman)
• Lakers back may be against the wall, but at least it's healthy (Los Angeles Times)
• Ron Harper: 'Who is going to show up for L.A. in Game 5?' (Los Angeles Times)
• Lakers take even-handed approach to latest adversity (Los Angeles Times)
• Los Angeles must improve transition defense (Los Angeles Times)
• Lakers can't be afraid to grind it out (Los Angeles Times)

Although all of our experts picked the Magic to advance, Sergio Gonzalez takes an early lead by calling the sweep!

Expert Scores
Expert	Right	Wrong	Bonus	Total
Sergio Gonzalez	1	0	1	3
Ken Berger	1	0	0	2
Jamie Eisenberg	1	0	0	2
Gerg Urbano	1	0	0	2
Nunzio Ingrassia	1	0	0	2
NBA2K10	1	0	0	2
Right = correct pick (2pts) - Wrong = wrong pick (0pts) - Bonus = correct number of games (1pt)

Sure, basketball is a team game... but individual performances can still spell the difference between playoff success and failure. In this feature, we take a look at the players who made the biggest impact, good or bad, on the day's results. Which player made the most efficient use of his offensive touches to help his team win the game? Which player's misses cost his team a shot at victory?

Here's what we've got...

Let us know how we did. Did we choose the right guys? Who would you add or subtract?

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HOT SHOT - Dwyane Wade


46 Points

Field Goal Selection
Layups: 4-6
Jumpers: 8-14
Dunks: 4-4
 
Scoring Breakdown
FGs: 16-24
3FG: 5-7
FT: 9-14




HOT SHOT - LeBron James







37 Points

Field Goal Selection
Layups: 0-0
Jumpers: 10-16
Dunks: 1-1
 
Scoring Breakdown
FGs: 11-17
3FG: 6-9
FT: 9-10




HOT SHOT - George Hill







29 Points

Field Goal Selection
Layups: 0-1
Jumpers: 11-15
Dunks: 0-0
 
Scoring Breakdown
FGs: 11-16
3FG: 5-6
FT: 2-2




HOT SHOT - Carlos Boozer







31 Points

Field Goal Selection
Layups: 8-9
Jumpers: 4-9
Dunks: 1-1
 
Scoring Breakdown
FGs: 13-19
3FG: 0-0
FT: 5-9

BRACKET & SCHEDULE

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Heat 101, Celtics 92 (Boston leads series, 3-1)

GameTracker | Box Score | Play-by-Play | Shot Chart | Photos
Jamey Eisenberg: Wade needs three more games like today to make history



Dwyane Wade watched the 3-pointer drop perfectly through the net, then turned upcourt and extended the fingers on his right hand.

Heat 101, Celtics 92 (Celtics leads series, 3-1)

And he screamed.

"In kid-friendly terms," Wade would say later, "I was telling him he was hot."
 
That hand -- that player -- had never been hotter in a postseason game, either. And that's why Miami's season isn't over.

Playing what might have been his final home game in Miami, Wade scored 46 points, 30 in the second half -- both franchise records -- and the Heat beat the Boston Celtics 101-92 on Sunday in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference first-round series. He made 16 of 24 shots, 5 of 7 from 3-point range, and outscored the Celtics 19-15 in the fourth quarter.

"Phenomenal," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said.

"Greatness," offered Heat coach Erik Spoelstra.

Read More

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Cavaliers 121, Bulls 98 (Cleveland leads series, 3-1)

GameTracker | Box Score | Play-by-Play | Shot Chart | Photos




LeBron James insisted there was nothing unusual about the shot, that he's perfectly comfortable taking it.

Never mind that he unleashed it from nearly halfcourt.

James' jumper -- from a spot that requires a heave for many players -- was just part of the show on a day when he delivered his fifth career postseason triple-double with 37 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists. That led the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 121-98 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Sunday and a 3-1 lead in their first-round series.

"I've done some great things in the past, I'll do some great things in the future," he said. "But we're in the present now, and I'm feeling pretty good."

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Spurs 92, Mavericks 89 (San Antonio leads series, 3-1)

GameTracker | Box Score | Play-by-Play | Shot Chart | Photos
Jan Hubbard: Mavs can't take advantage of Duncan's disappearing act



If Spurs coach Gregg Popovich hasn't already done so, he may want to apologize for calling his role players "dogs."

Because they put the Dallas Mavericks on the brink of elimination.

Tim Duncan had a miserable 34th birthday and Manu Ginobili looked as bad at times as his bandaged-up nose. But George Hill scored 29 points and San Antonio beat the Mavs 92-89 on Sunday night to take a 3-1 lead in their first-round series.

Popovich called out his supporting cast after losing Game 1. But it was his Big Three who had little bark in Game 4.

Read More

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Jazz 117, Nuggets 106 (Utah leads series, 3-1)

GameTracker | Box Score | Play-by-Play | Shot Chart | Photos



Carlos Boozer had 31 points and 13 rebounds, Deron Williams added 24 points and 13 assists, and the Utah Jazz held off a late charge to beat the Denver Nuggets 117-106 on Sunday night for a 3-1 lead in the Western Conference playoff series.

Carmelo Anthony finished with 39 points and led the Nuggets back within range late in the fourth quarter, but the Nuggets never caught all the way up and lost for the third straight time in the series.

Game 5 is Wednesday in Denver, where the Nuggets will need to win at home to stay alive.

The Jazz controlled the first three quarters, seeming quicker and more determined than Denver while chasing down loose balls and firing up the fans with every hustle play. The frustrated Nuggets battled foul trouble, losing Chauncey Billups while trying to rally in the fourth quarter.

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2KSports.com has been nice enough to help us run the show, using full-length game simulations on NBA2K10.

Think you can outmatch the machine? Post your predictions in the comments section!

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Celtics vs. Heat (Boston leads series, 3-0)

Game Stats | Celtics Stats | Heat Stats

The Boston Celtics will complete the sweep. Miami can't sink a single shot from beyond the arc, leaving Dwyane Wade with a lackluster 18-point performance. Kevin Garnett seals the deal for the Celtics, going 11-of-16 for 22 points.

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Cavaliers vs. Bulls (Cleveland leads, 2-1)

Game Stats | Cavaliers Stats | Bulls Stats

The simulation predicts a crushing, 108-75 defeat for the Bulls in Game 4. Chicago never had a chance. After being outscored 34-20 in the first quarter, the Bulls would go on to shoot a miserable 50 percent from the field. Both Anthony Parker and LeBron James score 20 points in the win.

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Mavericks vs. Spurs (San Antonio leads, 2-1)

Game Stats | Mavericks Stats | Spurs Stats

This one comes down to the wire! After being benched for the second half of Game 3, our simulation sees Caron Butler bouncing back for a huge, 30-point performance. Dirk Nowitzki also racks up 23 points, while Jason Kidd dishes off 17 assists. Tim Duncan leads the Spurs, with 31 points in defeat.

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Nuggets vs. Jazz (Utah leads, 2-1)

Game Stats | Nuggets Stats | Jazz Stats

Carlos Boozer has a great night, with 25 points and 12 rebounds... but in the end, the Jazz fall, 94-88, in Game 4 of our simulation. On a night when both teams struggled offensively, Carmelo Anthony was able to take over and lead his team to victory. Anthony racked up 32 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals.

1 p.m. ET - Celtics at Heat (Boston leads series, 3-0)

• Can the Heat stop the sweep? (Boston Herald)
• Ray Allen probably the reason for Wade's tired legs (Boston Herald)
• Rest assured, the Celts will sweep (Boston Herald)
• Heat look to overcome odds, stave off elimination (Miami Herald)
• Wade not thinking about possibility of last game in a Heat uniform (Miami Herald)
• Erik Spoelstra: 'Adversity builds character' (South Florida Sun Sentinel)

3:30 p.m. ET - Cavaliers at Bulls (Cavaliers lead series, 2-1)

• Cavs still waiting for Shaq-sized performance against Bulls (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
• Cleveland needs an answer for Derrick Rose (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
• Surprisingly, Shaq's struggles don't include free-throw line (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
• Rose growing to new heights in the postseason (Chicago Tribune)
• Bulls ruse? Team building up O’Neal’s effectiveness (Chicago Tribune)
• Noah likes how the Bulls match up  (Chicago Tribune)