Jalen Brunson scored 29 factors, RJ Barrett had 26 and the New York Knicks took a 3-1 lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers of their first-round sequence with a 102-93 victory on Sunday.
Josh Hart moved into the beginning lineup and added 19 factors and 7 rebounds for the fifth-seeded Knicks, who can attain the second spherical for the primary time since 2013 with a victory in Cleveland on Wednesday. New York would host Game 6, if vital, on Friday at what has been a deafening Madison Square Garden over the past two video games that had been dominant defensively.
New York compelled Cleveland all-star Donovan Mitchell into one of many worst video games of his post-season profession, ending with simply 11 factors on five-for-18 taking pictures. Darius Garland had 23 factors and 10 assists for the visiting Cavs, bouncing again properly after going 4 for 21 within the Knicks’ Game 3 romp. Jarrett Allen and Caris LeVert every scored 14 factors.
Barrett, a 22-year-old from Mississauga, Ont., was solely six for 25 within the two video games in Cleveland however has been excellent again at residence, the place followers chanted his title within the second half. He had 5 straight factors to interrupt the Knicks free from a 75-all tie, then added one other basket earlier than Hart scored to push it to 90-81 halfway throughout a stretch when Cleveland might solely handle two baskets in additional than 4 minutes.
RJ 👏 BARR👏ETT👏 <a href=”https://t.co/R7pktWMMnu”>pic.twitter.com/R7pktWMMnu</a>
—@nyknicks
After limiting the Cavs to the bottom level whole in an NBA sport this season on Friday, the Knicks led many of the manner on this one to achieve the verge of the Eastern Conference semifinals for the primary time since beating Boston in 2013.
They’ve solely made it again to the playoffs as soon as since then, falling in 5 video games to Atlanta in 2021. But this group is extra full, thanks largely signing Brunson final summer time and buying Hart from Portland throughout this season.
Starting collectively for the primary time since they had been school teammates at Villanova, that duo mixed for 20 of the Knicks’ 30 factors within the first quarter, which ended with them main by seven.
New York pushed it into double digits within the second and Brunson’s three-pointer halfway by way of the interval made it 46-31. The Knicks had been forward 54-45.
But Garland bought the primary two baskets of the third quarter, arrange Cleveland’s subsequent three scores, then had the Cavs’ subsequent two area objectives to tie it at 59. His three-point play gave Cleveland a 66-63 lead and he had 11 factors and 5 assists within the interval, earlier than Brunson made a three-pointer with 6.2 seconds left that despatched the Knicks to the fourth with a 73-71 edge.
Curry, Warriors maintain off Kings to even sequence
Stephen Curry scored 32 factors however gave Sacramento a late likelihood when he known as a timeout Golden State did not have, and the defending champion Warriors held on to beat the Kings 126-125 on Sunday when Harrison Barnes missed a three-pointer on the buzzer, night their playoff sequence at two video games apiece.
De’Aaron Fox had 38 factors, 9 rebounds and 5 assists for Sacramento. His three-pointer with 28.7 seconds left pulled the Kings inside one, after which Curry missed a 16-foot jumper on the opposite finish and Keegan Murray corralled the rebound. With Curry and Draymond Green defending, Fox dished to former Warrior Barnes for the potential game-winning three, which hit the again of the rim.
Golden State led 126-121 with 42.4 seconds left when Curry known as the extreme timeout, and Malik Monk made the technical free throw for Sacramento.
Klay Thompson made a baseline three-pointer to beat the third-quarter buzzer and one other with 3:24 left, ending with 26 factors for the Warriors.
Green, disciplined for stepping on Domantas Sabonis’ chest within the fourth quarter of Game 2, checked in to a rousing ovation with 6:38 left within the opening quarter and wound up with 12 factors, 10 rebounds and 7 assists. He and Fox picked up double technicals on the 5:43 mark of the primary.
Sabonis added 14 factors, seven rebounds and eight assists and now heads residence decided to get the Kings nearer to successful their first playoff sequence since eliminating Dallas within the 2004 first spherical.
Poole scored 22 factors, Andrew Wiggins added 18 factors and eight rebounds and Kevon Looney pulled down 14 rebounds to go along with eight factors and 6 assists.
Celtics put Hawks on brink of elimination
Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum every scored 31 factors and the visiting Boston Celtics led almost your entire manner, holding off the Atlanta Hawks for a 129-121 victory Sunday evening and commanding 3-1 lead within the opening-round playoff sequence.
The Celtics can ship the clincher Tuesday evening when the sequence returns to Boston for Game 5.
Tatum and Brown mixed to attain Boston’s closing 16 factors.
Brown, who has been carrying a protecting masks after sustaining facial contusions in February, took off the machine after making just one of seven pictures. He went 11 of 15 the remainder of the best way.
JB‼️ <a href=”https://t.co/qGZ5lUsE6O”>pic.twitter.com/qGZ5lUsE6O</a>
—@celtics
Boston by no means trailed after grabbing a 4-3 lead on Derrick White’s basket simply over a minute into the sport.
Tatum delivered an enormous three-pointer off a free ball with two minutes remaining, pushing the Celtics to a 118-106 lead.
After Trae Young swished a protracted three to supply Atlanta’s final gasp, Brown knocked one down from past the arc seal it for the Celtics.
Marcus Smart added 19 factors and Derrick White 18 for the Celtics.
Young had one other massive sport for Atlanta with 35 factors, however it wasn’t sufficient. De’Andre Hunter chipped in with 27 and DeJounte Murray had 23.
Hunter ripped off eight straight factors, together with a few 3s, after which delivered a thunderous dunk that introduced the Hawks inside 53-49.
But Boston closed the primary half on a 12-4 spurt, capped by Smart’s three-pointer that despatched the guests to the locker room with a 65-53 lead and sapped numerous power from the house crowd.
The Celtics tenaciously protected their edge all through the third interval.
Young hit a protracted three-pointer that introduced the Hawks inside three, however Boston bought the final shot and put the ball in Smart’s palms. The Celtics cleared the center of the courtroom so he might blow by Bogdan Bogdanovic, laying it in for a 92-87 lead heading to the ultimate quarter.
Smart was within the Celtics lineup and seemed simply advantageous after a tough fall close to the top of Game 3.
He landed on his tailbone whereas battling for a rebound, prompting Boston to listing him as a game-time determination. But coach Joe Mazzulla declared his guard “good to go” nicely forward of tipoff.
Timberwolves keep away from elimination towards Nuggets
Anthony Edwards scored 34 factors, Karl-Anthony Towns had 17 factors and 11 rebounds, and the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Denver Nuggets 114-108 in additional time in Game 4 to keep away from elimination Sunday evening.
Nikola Jokic tied a playoff profession excessive with 43 factors and added 11 rebounds and 6 assists for the Nuggets, who had been searching for the four-game sweep.
Rudy Gobert added 14 factors and 15 rebounds for Minnesota, which held on after Denver scored the ultimate 12 factors of regulation to pressure additional time. Mike Conley had 19 factors for the Timberwolves.
Game 5 is Tuesday in Denver.
Jamal Murray completed with 19 factors and Aaron Gordon 14 for Denver, which seemed prime to have an opportunity to relaxation earlier than the second spherical the place it might face the winner of the Suns-Clippers sequence, which Phoenix leads 3-1.
Edwards, who put collectively a number of electrifying moments in his first All-Star season, resurrected Minnesota within the third because the Timberwolves went on a 23-9 run. Edwards scored 16 of his factors within the quarter and the Timberwolves ultimately led by 12 halfway by way of the fourth.
Minnesota misplaced within the first spherical to Memphis final yr, surrendering three double-digit, fourth-quarter leads.
This time, Jokic took one other Wolves’ lead away.
The 21-year-old Edwards took a step ahead this yr whereas Towns missed 52 video games with a calf pressure. He took over the scoring load for Minnesota and was supported by his veteran teammates, who implored the athletic teenager to take management in video games.
The Nuggets had been pressed to a fifth sport, however they nonetheless appear to be a group primed for a protracted playoff run. They additionally may need discovered a solution to their greatest situation: surviving when the two-time MVP Jokic is not on the ground.
With Gordon enjoying the backup centre minutes, the Nuggets did not simply survive, they outscored Minnesota with out Jokic by six factors.
