Basketball: Antetokounmpo overthrows Boston, Memphis thrashes Golden State

Milwaukee, towed by the Herculean strength of Giannis Antetokounmpo, 40 points, won in the snatch in Boston (110-107), to glimpse the Eastern Conference final, Wednesday, in the NBA play-off, where Memphis humiliated Golden State (134-95), to stay alive in the West.

“Never underestimate the heart of a champion”, said in 1995, Rudy Tomjanovich, coach of the Houston Rockets, period Hakeem Olajuwon, who had just achieved the double, although given losers. The Bucks, who now lead 3-2 in this string series, have made this adage their own, as they have come a long way in this still intense fifth meeting, in the TD Garden cauldron.

Led by 14 units, they relied on Antetokounmpo, who carried them at arm’s length. In the 2nd quarter, 15 of the team’s 19 points were scored by Giannis, author of a double-step, whose gesture, outstretched arm passing below the circle, recalled the crazy action achieved by the ex-Idol of the Sixers, Julius Erving… 42 years ago to the day, against the Lakers, in the championship final.

The “Greek Freak”, who shot at 16/27 (11 rebounds), was however not alone until the end. After his basket behind the arc (105-102), to respond to an exceptional tap-dunk from Al Horford still solid (8 pts, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 interceptions), the MVP 2019 and 2020, opened under the right arch after a shock, then missed a crucial free throw.

But Bobby Portis (14 pts, 15 rebounds) rose to the rebound, who had just dithered on two actions, before Jrue Holiday (24 pts, 8 assists) proved decisive with a counter and an interception on Marcus Smart ( 15 pts), which is likely to cause nightmares.

The burst of pride of the Bucks, in the absence of Khris Middleton (knee), saves them from being back to the wall. Better: he puts the Celtics on the edge of the precipice who will have to create the feat on Friday, in Wisconsin. To have imposed themselves there in match N.4, they are capable of it. Especially since Jayson Tatum (34 pts, 6 rebounds) and Jaylen Brown (26 pts, 8 rebounds, 6 assists) responded.

In the West, in front of their public, the Grizzlies put all their heart and all their claws to come back to 3-2 against the apathetic Warriors, who looked like chicks against professionals and ended up crushed. They lamented up to 55 units behind, in time for their franchise record in the play-off (defeat by 56 points in 1973 against the Lakers). All without the star opposite, Ja Morant, injured in the right knee.

However, we could not imagine Golden State playing worse basketball than that of two days ago, during match No 4 won miraculously, after having fought to take the advantage for the first time with 45 seconds remaining and hold it.

The Californians, whose coach Steve Kerr is under the Covid protocol, which can explain a lot of things, have nevertheless succeeded in doing so. And this time, it’s not so much their clumsiness in attack – Stephen Curry (14 pts) and Klay Thompson (19 pts) admittedly shot little but rather correctly – as their zero degree of combativeness, quite unworthy of their nickname, which is in question. “It was awful, embarrassing,” Thompson lamented. “We all intended to wrap it up tonight, but sometimes basketball is an inexact science and we were a shadow of ourselves.”

The contrast was stark with their opponents in survival mode, who imposed the physical challenge and fought on all the balls, including taking 18 offensive rebounds which made almost as many second shots that hit the mark.

The Grizzlies, who were able to limit any “Morant-dependence” during the regular season (20 wins in 25 games), thus made a show of collective strength with seven players at least ten points, Jaren Jackson Jr, Desmond Bane and Tyus Jones having each registered 21. They have proven that they will sell their skin very dearly. A Golden State to remember it on Friday.