Phoenix dismissed Dallas 129-109 on Wednesday, already breaking 2-0 in its play-off series, like Miami, which again beat Philadelphia.
Chris Paul made himself the author of a recital at the end of the match.
AFP
Carried by a still decisive Chris Paul at the end of the match, Phoenix dismissed Dallas 129-109 on Wednesday, already making the break 2-0 in their play-off series, like Miami, which again beat 119-103 a team of Philadelphia still orphaned by Joel Embiid.
Leading 60-58 at halftime, trailing by just six points (89-83) at the start of the last quarter, Luka Doncic’s Mavericks could do nothing against Chris Paul’s recital at the end game: the veteran point guard then scored 14 of his 28 points at 6/7 shooting, taking his team to a 23-2 that extinguished Dallas’ hopes. “We just had to be a little more aggressive,” Paul said after the game. We did what we had to do, we won our two home matches.
Faced with a somewhat lonely Doncic (35 points at 13/22, 5 rebounds, 7 assists), the Suns also showed diabolical skill, finishing this match No 2 with 64.5% shooting success (49 /76), with a nice 52% at 3 points (13/25). On the Phoenix side, Devin Booker finished top scorer with 30 points (11/19, including 5/8 from 3 points), including 21 scored in the second half.
Embiid still missing
In the Eastern Conference, Miami also won its second home game in the series which opposes it to the Sixers still deprived of their star pivot Joel Embiid, victim against Toronto of a fractured orbit of the right eye and of a concussion.
In his absence, James Harden disappointed once again, finishing with 20 points and 9 assists, but the 2018 MVP registered just four points in the second half. At his side, the young Tyrese Maxey distinguished himself with 34 points at 12/22.
Miami, leading by eight points at halftime (60-52) and never really worried, could count on Bam Adebayo (23 pts, 9 rebounds), Jimmy Butler (22 pts, 12 assists) and Tyler Herro (18 pts at 60%), who had received his trophy for best sixth man of the season before the start of the meeting. “We did what we had to do at home, the playoffs really start when you go out to play,” commented Jimmy Butler.
The series resumes Friday in Philadelphia. With or without Joel Embiid? The question remains open.
NBA. Play-off, conference semi-finals. Wednesday matches:
Miami – Philadelphia 119 – 103. Miami leads 2-0 in the series.
Phoenix – Dallas 129 – 109. Phoenix leads 2-0 in the series.
(AFP)
