All posts tagged: National Basketball Association

Cavaliers shock Celtics, Mavs silence Thunder to level NBA playoff series

Cavaliers shock Celtics, Mavs silence Thunder to level NBA playoff series

Published by skeptic

LOS ANGELS: Cleveland and Dallas turned the tables on their top-seeded opponents on Thursday (May 9), the Cavaliers shocking the Boston Celtics and the Mavericks silencing the Thunder to level their NBA playoff series at one game apiece. Donovan Mitchell led a comprehensive Cleveland effort as the Cavaliers powered past the Celtics 118-94 in Boston to make it 1-1 in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference semi-final series. Dallas star Luka Doncic scored 29 points and grabbed 10 rebounds and teammate PJ Washington poured in another 29 points for the Mavericks, who beat the Thunder 119-110 in Oklahoma City to knot their Western Conference semi-final at one-all. Mitchell scored 23 of his 29 points in the second half and received plenty of support from “attack-minded” teammates as the Cavs bounced back from a game-one rout. Evan Mobley, 22, got Cleveland going early, scoring 15 of his playoff career-high 21 points in the first half. Mobley added 10 rebounds and five assists and reserve guard Caris LeVert added 21 points off the bench for Cleveland, who had six players …

Knicks rally late to stun Sixers, take 2-0 NBA playoff series lead

Knicks rally late to stun Sixers, take 2-0 NBA playoff series lead

Published by skeptic

LOS ANGELES: The New York Knicks scored eight points in the final 27.4 seconds to stun the Philadelphia 76ers 104-101 on Monday (Apr 22) and take a 2-0 lead in their NBA Eastern Conference playoff series. Jalen Brunson’s three-pointer with 27.4sec to play pulled the Knicks within two points and after Josh Hart came up with a steal, Donte DiVincenzo capped a chaotic possession with a three-pointer from the top of the key to put New York up 102-101. OG Anunoby sealed it in front of an ecstatic Madison Square Garden crowd with a pair of free throws as the Knicks joined the Cleveland Cavaliers in taking a 2-0 lead in their first-round series. The Cavs led wire-to-wire in a 96-86 victory over the Orlando Magic. It was a crushing defeat for the 76ers, who didn’t trail until late in the third quarter, when a Brunson layup gave the Knicks a 68-67 lead. Philadelphia’s NBA Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid was clearly hindered late by pain in his surgically repaired left knee, but the Sixers …

Celtics clinch NBA playoff home edge by silencing Thunder

Celtics clinch NBA playoff home edge by silencing Thunder

Published by skeptic

WASHINGTON: The Boston Celtics clinched the NBA’s best record this season and a home-court advantage throughout the NBA playoffs on Wednesday (Apr 3) with a 135-100 blowout over the Oklahoma City Thunder. Latvian Kristaps Porzingis scored 27 points and grabbed 12 rebounds while Jayson Tatum added 24 points and Jaylen Brown contributed 23 points for the Celtics, who improved to an Eastern Conference-best 60-16. With Minnesota and Denver next best and sharing the Western Conference lead at 53-33 and only six games remaining for Boston, the Celtics are assured of having the most home games in any playoff series they have as they chase an NBA-record 18th all-time league crown. “You learn to appreciate the process,” Tatum said. “All the while we want to hang a (championship) banner. We can’t skip steps. Winning 60-plus games and clinching the best record in the league, it’s a big deal. “But you’re going to have to win some games on the road regardless in the playoffs to do what you want to do.” The Celtics, who last won …

Suns eclipse Nuggets, Rockets silence Thunder

Suns eclipse Nuggets, Rockets silence Thunder

Published by skeptic

LOS ANGELES: Kevin Durant scored 30 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to lead the Phoenix Suns to a 104-97 victory over reigning NBA champions Denver on Wednesday (Mar 27) to keep things close at the top of the Western Conference. The Suns made 16 three-pointers and never trailed after the first quarter in Denver. Durant said it wasn’t a matter of making a statement, but of paying attention to detail in a demanding final playoff push. “I don’t know if you’re trying to show anybody anything,” Durant said. “I think (we’re) just trying to keep getting better … we’re just trying to play good ball.” Denver’s two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic, playing with a sore back and hip, scored 22 points with nine rebounds and 10 assists. But the Nuggets clearly felt the absence of point guard Jamal Murray, who missed a third straight game with a sprained left ankle. It was just their third defeat in their 18 games since the All-Star break, but left them just one half-game ahead of Oklahoma City …

Giannis leads Bucks over Thunder as 76ers beat Harden’s Clippers

Giannis leads Bucks over Thunder as 76ers beat Harden’s Clippers

Published by Sam

LOS ANGELES: Giannis Antetokounmpo sparked the Milwaukee Bucks over Oklahoma City in a Sunday (Mar 24) showdown of NBA contenders while James Harden lost his first meeting with Philadelphia since the 76ers traded him. Antetokounmpo scored 30 points and grabbed a season-high 19 rebounds to lead Milwaukee over visiting Oklahoma 118-93. Khris Middleton added his second career triple-double – and first since 2018 – with 11 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for the Bucks, whose defensive effort kept the Thunder to a season-low point production on 37.1 per cent shooting. “It was cool,” Middleton said of his rare feet. “My teammates were knocking down a lot of shots for me. It was a good win against a good team. But we’ve got to keep building on this for the rest of the season.” Oklahoma City fell to 49-21, tumbling a half-game behind Denver for the Western Conference lead and a half-game ahead of third-place Minnesota. Milwaukee improved to 46-25, second in the Eastern Conference by three games over Cleveland. Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored only …

Celtics hold off Bucks for seventh straight win

Celtics hold off Bucks for seventh straight win

Published by skeptic

LOS ANGELES: Jayson Tatum scored 31 points as the Boston Celtics held off a late fightback from the Milwaukee Bucks to win 122-119 in their top-of-table Eastern Conference clash on Wednesday (Mar 20). Boston had looked to be cruising towards their seventh straight victory after dominating Milwaukee for long periods at the TD Garden. Exploiting the absence of injured Bucks talisman Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Celtics surged into a 21-point lead late in the third quarter after Milwaukee had closed to within five just after half-time. But a blistering fourth quarter performance by Milwaukee – who outscored the Celtics 36-21 in the final frame – set up a nerve-shredding finale before Boston squeaked home. “It was ugly,” Tatum admitted. “We didn’t play the way we wanted to in the fourth quarter, and they went on a run. “No lead is safe in the NBA. But a win is a win and we’ll take it.” Boston improved to 55-14 with the victory, leaving them a hefty 11 games clear of the second-placed Bucks. The Celtics now need just …

Jokic leads Nuggets past Wolves as Mavs sink Spurs

Jokic leads Nuggets past Wolves as Mavs sink Spurs

Published by Sam

LOS ANGELES: Nikola Jokic scored 35 points as the Denver Nuggets held off a second-half rally by the Minnesota Timberwolves to record a 115-112 victory over their Western Conference rivals on Tuesday (Mar 19). Serbian star Jokic shepherded Denver over the line after Minnesota erased an 18-point second-quarter deficit to seriously rattle the reigning NBA champions. Minnesota, missing the injured Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert, had a last-gasp attempt to force overtime only for Anthony Edwards’ three-point attempt to bounce off the rim. Denver move into second place in the Western Conference with a 48-21 record. Oklahoma City Thunder lead the standings at 47-20 while Minnesota remain firmly in the hunt in third at 47-22. The Timberwolves came roaring back into the game after a third-quarter shooting spree that saw them outscore Denver 29-17 thanks to 14 points from Edwards, who finished with 30 on the night. But defensive adjustments from Denver slowed Edwards’ scoring rate in the fourth quarter and the Nuggets held on. “We threw an extra body at him,” Denver coach Michael …

Pacers roll Thunder, Celtics march on

Pacers roll Thunder, Celtics march on

Published by Sam

LOS ANGELES: Myles Turner scored 24 points as the Indiana Pacers snapped the Oklahoma City Thunder’s three-game winning streak with a 121-111 victory on the road Tuesday (Mar 12). Turner led a balanced offensive effort for Indiana that saw six players post double-digit points tallies against the Western Conference-leading Thunder. The Pacers shrugged off a fiercely partisan Oklahoma City crowd to take control early on, opening up a 16-point lead near the end of the first half. Although the Thunder rallied with a 41-point third quarter to take a fleeting one-point lead, Indiana regrouped to pull away again and close out victory. Turner was backed with 18 points and nine assists from Tyrese Haliburton while Pascal Siakam added 18 points and 11 rebounds for the visitors. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder scorers with 30 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. “We got off to a great start and we were able to lock in. It was a team effort,” said Turner, adding that Indiana had reveled in the intimidating atmosphere at Oklahoma City’s 18,000-seat Paycom Center. …

Jokic leads Nuggets fightback over fired-up Raptors

Jokic leads Nuggets fightback over fired-up Raptors

Published by skeptic

LOS ANGELES: Nikola Jokic grabbed a 35-point triple-double as the Denver Nuggets staged a dramatic second-half fightback to defeat the short-handed Toronto Raptors 125-119 on Monday (Mar 11). Two-time Most Valuable Player Jokic produced a towering display to drag Denver back into contention after the NBA champions trailed by 22 points in the second quarter. A fired-up Toronto looked poised to score a notable upset after starting strong to open up a double-digit advantage. But Serbian star Jokic seized control of the game in the third, scoring 19 points as Denver outscored Toronto 42-30 to trim the visitors’ lead to five points heading into the fourth. Denver’s domination continued into the fourth and they finally took the lead midway through the final frame when Jamal Murray’s layup put them 108-107 ahead. Denver outscored Toronto 32-21 in the fourth quarter to close out the win. “In the first half they scored a lot and we didn’t play any defence,” said Jokic after completing his 21st triple-double of the season. “We just needed to match and exceed …

Cavaliers comeback stuns Celtics, Suns hold off Nuggets

Cavaliers comeback stuns Celtics, Suns hold off Nuggets

Published by skeptic

LOS ANGELES: The Cleveland Cavaliers overturned a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit to snap the Boston Celtics’ 11-game winning streak with a 105-104 victory on Tuesday (Mar 6). A week after coming back from 10 points down in the fourth quarter to defeat Dallas, Cleveland conjured an even more remarkable late show to stun Boston, the Eastern Conference leaders. Boston looked to be cruising to a 12th straight win after a clinical display left them leading 93-71 early in the fourth quarter in Cleveland. But Dean Wade erupted for 20 points in the final frame, draining a string of three-pointers to haul Cleveland back into the contest. Wade, who finished with 23 points, made the winning layup with 19 seconds remaining to put Cleveland ahead after Kristaps Porzingis’s free throw had helped the Celtics take a 104-103 lead. Boston thought they had been thrown a lifeline when Jayson Tatum appeared to be fouled as he went for a late shot. But the call was overturned in Cleveland’s favor and time ran out to give the Cavaliers a victory …