2014 NBA Playoffs: Nothin’ But Nets; Bullish Bulls; Rookie Rocket

2014 NBA Playoffs: As the playoffs roll on the stakes will continue to get bigger and bigger. Some teams will come through; some will falter and fall.

What will your team do?

Toronto Raptors at Brooklyn Nets:

The Toronto Raptors nearly staged an impressive comeback Friday night against the Brooklyn Nets. Down by 15 with just five minutes to go in the final quarter the end seemed to be a given, but that was far from case. An 18-4 run cut the lead down to 97-96 with 34 seconds to go.

But is just wasn’t meant to be.

Paul Pierce started to shut the door with a pair of free throws and 14 seconds to go giving Brooklyn a four-point lead. Amir Johnson cut the lead to two, but with just three ticks left Toronto had to foul giving Joe Johnson a chance to finish the Raptors off.

“This team tried to throw haymakers at us and go at us, and we did a good job of battling back and staying in the game,” Raptors coach Dwane Casey said.

With the 102-98 win the Nets take a 2-1 lead in the series. Game Four will be on Sunday in Brooklyn.

Chicago Bulls at Washington Wizards:

Chicago needed to come up big going in to Game Three against Washington and thanks to Mike Dunleavy. The veteran forward scored 35 points on the night with most of it coming from behind the arc (8-10 from three-point range).

“He was in the zone, man,” Beal said. “I guess the hoop looked like an ocean to him.”

It was a three-pointer from someone else that made the difference in the end. With 24 seconds to go and the game tied at 91 Jimmy Butler hit a 26-footer to give the Bulls the lead for good en route to a 100-97 win.

As impressive as Dunleavy’s rain of three-pointer was the difference maker in the game very well may have been Wizards forward Nene Hilario who was ejected after grabbing Butler by the neck and side of the head.

“I have nothing to regret,” he said. “I’m a warrior right there. What I did, I’m supposed to do.”

He may have plenty to regret if he ends up being suspended for Game Four on Sunday and the Bulls are able to tie the series up.

Houston Rockets at Portland Trail Blazers:

The Rockets needed something in order to push them over the edge and notch a win against the Portland Trail Blazers and finally got itâ€"just from an unlikely source.

It wasn’t from any of the team’s big name players. No, it came from someone who averaged a little over eight points a game during the regular seasonâ€"rookie guard Troy Daniels.

With 11.9 seconds left in overtime Daniels took a pass from Jeremy Lin after a few chaotic moments that saw both teams turn the ball over. Daniels hit the open three giving Houston a 119-116 advantage, Harden hit a pair of free throws to make the final score 121-116.

“He competes,” McHale said. “He dives on the floor for balls. He’s a tough kid.”

Daniels, who went undrafted out of VCU, spent most of the season in the D-League and didn’t join the team until March 3.

The Rockets managed to shut LaMarcus Aldridge down in the first half holding him to just four points (23 on the night). They will have to do so again on Sunday if they want to tie the series up before going back to Houston.