Miami Heat to the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals

It will be the Miami Heat against the Indiana Pacers in the NBA’s Eastern Conference semifinals. LeBron James had 29 points, eight rebounds and seven assists as the Heat advanced with a 106-94 win over the New York Knicks in Game 5 of the conference quarterfinals. Chris Bosh and Dwyane (dwayn) Wade each had 19 points for the Heat, who used an 11-3 late in the third quarter to take a 78-60 lead. The Knicks jumped out to a 14-8 lead and held both James and Wade without a field goal the entire first quarter, yet Miami closed the period on a 20-10 spurt to carry a four-point lead. New York never recovered and still hasn’t won a playoff series since 2000. Carmelo Anthony led the Knicks with 35 points and Amare Stoudemire added 14 before fouling out. The Memphis Grizzlies won a physical battle with the Los Angeles Clippers to force a sixth game in their NBA first-round series. Marc Gasol (gah-SAHL’) scored 23 points and Zach Randolph had a double-double as the Grizzlies downed the Clippers 92-80 to send the series back to Los Angeles. Randolph finished with 19 points and 10 boards while helping Memphis outrebound L.A. 42-35. Randolph and Gasol were a big reason the Grizzlies outscored the Clippers 48-26 in the paint. The game featured seven technicals and ended with Clippers guard Chris Paul and forward Blake Griffin nursing injuries. Paul finished with 19 points, six rebounds and four assists but was ineffective in the final period after suffering a strained hip flexor. Griffin hyperextended his left knee and ended up with 15 points and 11 boards. Mo Williams had a team-high 20 points for the Clippers, who whittled a 22-point, second-half deficit to six before falling.