FloaterDaily Brief
Thursday, May 8, 1997Playoffs · 2 games
← May 7CalendarMay 9 →

2 games, none went to overtime. Biggest comeback: ATL trailed CHI by 1 after the first quarter and won 103–95.

Final · R2 · G2
ATL103
CHI95
Q1 ATL -1; Q2 ATL +2; Q3 ATL +6; Q4 ATL +8
Final · R2 · G3
UTA84
LAL104
Q1 LAL +8; Q2 LAL +13; Q3 LAL +13; Q4 LAL +20
Bars under each score: who led after each quarter, from the winner's side. winner ahead behind behind in a 10+ point comeback tied
On this day · 1995–96May 8, 1996: 1 game. Top scorer: Shaquille O'Neal (ORL vs ATL), 41 points.
The lead · Conference semifinals · Game 2 · ATL @ CHI

Atlanta evens the series with Chicago at 1–1

Atlanta won Game 2, 103–95, in the conference semifinals. Steven Smith led Atlanta with 27 points, 2 rebounds and 0 assists.

Game flow · ATL margin at each break
Quarter-end scores only (4 points), so swings inside a period don't show.
-15-10-50+5+10+15TipEnd Q1HalfEnd Q3Final0-1+2+6+8ATL AHEAD ↑CHI AHEAD ↓
By quarter
Q1Q2Q3Q4T
ATL27262327103
CHI2823192595
Who led
Steven SmithPoints, last 10 games: 33, 21, 14, 17, 22, 21, 28, 13, 19, 27ATL27 PTS · 2 REB · 0 AST
Mookie BlaylockPoints, last 10 games: 14, 17, 2, 13, 7, 16, 10, 15, 31, 26ATL26 PTS · 7 REB · 9 AST
Michael JordanPoints, last 10 games: 34, 18, 30, 26, 33, 29, 55, 28, 34, 27CHI27 PTS · 16 REB · 6 AST
Scottie PippenPoints, last 10 games: 33, 21, 19, 28, 12, 16, 14, 20, 29, 24CHI24 PTS · 4 REB · 9 AST
Second story · UTA @ LAL · R2 · G3

Lakers lead Utah wire to wire

Lakers were ahead at every break and won 104–84. Best quarter: the fourth, 32–25. Kobe Bryant led Lakers with 19 points, 1 rebound and 3 assists.

Series tracker · UTA vs LAL
G1 · @ UTAUTA93–77G2 · @ UTAUTA103–101G3 · @ LALLAL104–84Game by game through May 8, winner and final score. Pink = LAL win.
Fantasy angleRecent playoff games against each player's regular-season average.
Heating up
+6.6points, last 3 playoff games vs reg. season avg
Points per game
17.4Reg. season avg24.0Last 3 playoff games

24.0 points a game over his last three playoff games, against 17.4 in the regular season (78 games). Today: 26 points in 46 minutes.

Losing minutes
−7.8minutes, last 3 playoff games vs reg. season avg
Minutes per game
38.1Reg. season avg30.3Last 3 playoff games

30.3 minutes a game over his last three playoff games, against 38.1 in the regular season (51 games). Today: 11 points in 17 minutes.

Stepped-up role
+14.6minutes, today vs reg. season avg
Minutes per game
25.8Reg. season avg40.4Today

40 minutes today, against 25.8 a game in the regular season (54 games). Line: 7 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assists.

Top performances

Michael Jordan leads the day with 27

Sparkline: points in his last 10 games, tonight in pink. Black tag: most points in a game this season to date, or in his career when his whole career is in our box scores (after 5+ games). Plus/minus: points tonight against his average before tonight.
Michael JordanPoints, last 10 games: 34, 18, 30, 26, 33, 29, 55, 28, 34, 27CHI vs ATL · L
34.6 PPG playoffs to date · −9.5 vs his playoff average before tonight
27 PTS · 16 REB · 6 AST
Steven SmithPoints, last 10 games: 33, 21, 14, 17, 22, 21, 28, 13, 19, 27ATL @ CHI · W
21.0 PPG playoffs to date · +7.0 vs his playoff average before tonight
27 PTS · 2 REB · 0 AST
Mookie BlaylockPoints, last 10 games: 14, 17, 2, 13, 7, 16, 10, 15, 31, 26ATL @ CHI · W
16.9 PPG playoffs to date · +10.7 vs his playoff average before tonight
26 PTS · 7 REB · 9 AST
Jeff HornacekPoints, last 10 games: 27, 12, 7, 10, 12, 11, 28, 10, 21, 26UTA @ LAL · L
18.0 PPG playoffs to date · +9.6 vs his playoff average before tonight
26 PTS · 0 REB · 4 AST
Scottie PippenPoints, last 10 games: 33, 21, 19, 28, 12, 16, 14, 20, 29, 24CHI vs ATL · L
20.6 PPG playoffs to date · +4.2 vs his playoff average before tonight
24 PTS · 4 REB · 9 AST
Dikembe MutomboPoints, last 10 games: 17, 13, 2, 26, 17, 15, 16, 17, 10, 19ATL @ CHI · W
17.1 PPG playoffs to date · +2.2 vs his playoff average before tonight
19 PTS · 15 REB · 1 AST