The Brooklyn Nets are going to Miami, and the Toronto Raptors are headed home, thanks to Paul Pierce. Pierce blocked Kyle Lowry's layup attempt on the final play and the visiting Nets escaped the Raptors, 104-103 in game 7 on Sunday to win their Eastern Conference opening-round playoff series.
The Nets looked to be in control after leading 97-87 with 5 minutes 38 seconds left on Joe Johnson's jumper. But the Raptors clawed back and pulled to within 104-103 on a layup by Terence Ross with 8.8 seconds remaining.
Ross then stepped up on the defensive end, tipping away Shaun Livingston's attempted in-bounds pass to Piercewith 6.2 seconds left. Lowry took the in-bounds pass, drove through three defenders at the top of the key, where the ball was momentarily knocked away by Kevin Garnett. The guard regained control, and with time ticking down rose up for the layup. But the 37-year-old Paul Pierce swatted the shot away as time expired.
Johnson led Brooklyn with half his 26 points in the final quarter, Marcus Thornton scored 17 off the bench while Garnett chipped in with 12 and 11 rebounds. The sixth-seeded Nets will open their semifinal series on the road on Tuesday night against second-seeded Miami Heat.
Lowry scored 28 points while Amir Johnson had 20 and 10 board before fouling to pace the third-seeded Raptors, who have still not won a playoff series since 2001.
Spurs beat Mavericks
Frenchman Tony Parker poured in 24 of his 32 points in the first half and the top-seeded Spurs steamrolled the visiting Mavericks in decisive game 7 to win their Western Conference opening round series.
Manu Ginobili had 20 points, Danny Green added 16 points while Tim Duncan and Kawhi Leonard contributed 15 apiece for San Antonio, which led 68-46 at halftime en route to the lopsided victory. The Spurs will open the second-round series at home on Tuesday night against the fifth-seeded Portland Trail Blazers, who upset fourth-seeded Houston in six games.
Dirk Nowitzki scored 22 points, Devin Harris added 17 for the Mavs.
