Community Picks: Charlotte Hornets 0% vs Miami Heat 0%

Heat star Dwyane Wade often can be heard saying at playoff time that a series hasn't truly started until somebody wins on the home floor of its opponent. Charlotte, Detroit and Portland probably can appreciate that sort of thinking. A two-day break between their Game 1 road losses on Sunday and the Game 2's that await when three series resume Wednesday night - Charlotte is at Miami, Detroit goes back to Cleveland and Portland visits the Los Angeles Clippers - means the Hornets, Pistons and Trail Blazers all have ample time to make adjustments. Continue to Article

April 20, 2016 2:33:am EST

When the burning sensation in Paul George's shattered right leg finally subsided in August 2014, the Indiana Pacers young star made a commitment to himself and his fans. Twenty months after suffering the unforgettably gruesome injury in Las Vegas, George has written the next chapter in his comeback tale with an incredible start to the NBA playoffs. In Game 1 against Toronto, George scored 27 of his 33 points in the second half, almost willing the Pacers to a 100-90 victory over the East's No. 2 seed. Continue to Article

April 19, 2016 5:15:pm EST

After a record-breaking blowout in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first-round series, the Heat will go for their sixth straight postseason win over the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night in South Beach. The last time Miami was in the playoffs, it fell in five games to San Antonio in the 2014 Finals, marking the breakup of its Big Three of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. The latter two are still with the team, though Bosh has been out since the All-Star break with blood clots in his leg, and Wade, the longtime leader of the franchise, was merely the Heat's third-best player in Sunday's opener. Continue to Article

April 19, 2016 1:30:pm EST

Cleveland's top trio of LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love combined for 81 points on Sunday as the Cavaliers battled to a 106-101 victory over determined Detroit in their NBA playoff opener. The Pistons, back in the playoffs for the first time in seven seasons, did all they could to steal an away win, draining 15 three-pointers as they shot 52 percent from long range. Detroit led at halftime and entering the fourth quarter. Continue to Article

April 17, 2016 6:27:pm EST

Al Jefferson was the focal point of the Charlotte Hornets' offense when they faced the Miami Heat in the playoffs two years ago. Jefferson now comes off the bench and plays fewer minutes, but that doesn't mean the Hornets won't be relying on ''Big Al'' in the postseason. ''He's still a difference maker,'' coach Steve Clifford said. Continue to Article

April 16, 2016 2:40:am EST