NBA Playoffs – Boston Celtics and New York Knicks before entering the Conference Semifinals

The New York Knicks only need one win to progress. For the Hawks it gets even worse after the game, Dejounte Murray faces a penalty.

New York Knicks (E5) – Cleveland Cavaliers (E4) 102:93 (BOXSCORE), Serie: 1-3

• The outstanding Jalen Brunson (29 points, 6 assists and 6 rebounds) led the Knicks’ offense, with friendly support from RJ Barrett, who had a playoff career high (26 points). Josh Hart (taking over from Quentin Grimes, who had a shoulder injury) had a few important plays (19 points, 7 rebounds).
• New York led by 15 points in the second quarter, but then Darius Garland (only 2 points in the first half) took over after the break with the Cavs and put Cleveland back in the game. The box score ended up being 23 points and 10 assists.
• The Knickerbockers were above all the better team on the boards and won the rebound duel with 59:42, 17 of them offensively, the result was a whopping 21 points after second chances. As a result, a weak idea of ​​the three-point line (27.6 percent) and the free-throw line (27.6 percent) was not so important.
• Julius Randle made another poor play for the Knicks. 7 points, 2 rebounds and a terrifying passivity earned him a bench seat at crunch time. Match winner Brunson had some words of encouragement for the forward. “He’s been the leader here since I’ve been here. We always have his back,” the point guard clarified after the game.
• Isaiah Hartenstein did well with some strong hustle plays. 1 point, 8 rebounds and 2 steals and blocks in 20 minutes were the numbers of the German. Brunson had to spend most of the time on the court with almost 43 minutes.
• New York still got decent cardio from Mitchell Robinson (12 points, 11 rebounds). In Cleveland, Donovan Mitchell was particularly disappointing, as he couldn’t find any solutions against the constant doubles teams from the second half onwards (11 points, 6 turnovers, 5/18 FG). It’s also significant that the Cavs’ best rebounder wasn’t Bigs Jarrett Allen (4) or Evan Mobley (7), but guard Caris LeVert (9).

NBA Playoffs: Die Stats-Leader bei Knicks vs. Cavs

Golden State Warriors (W6) – Sacramento Kings (W3) 126:125 (MATCH REPORT), Series: 2-2

Atlanta Hawks (E7) – Boston Celtics (E2) 121:129 (BOXSCORE), Series: 1-3

• The Celtics won in convincing fashion in Atlanta after slipping up in Game 3 and are headed straight for a meeting with the Philadelphia 76ers in the Conference Semifinals. With the Hawks, the guests led almost the entire game and pressed the accelerator again in the quarter to finally bag the win.
• Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 31 points (8/20 FG, 11/12 FT), 16 of which the forward scored in the final period and eliminated the last doubt there. A deep three (almost off the logo) with two minutes left to playwas the preliminary decision in favor of the guests (118:106), it was the end of a 7-0 run after the Hawks sniffed again thanks to Trae Young (35, 11/26, 15 assists) and Dejounte Murray (23). had.
• At the end of the third quarter, the hosts had crawled up to -3 again, but then a series of nine missed shots followed, so that the Celtics were back in the double digits. Tatum and especially Robert Williams III (13, 15 rebounds) were able to distinguish themselves at the back end, and the guests had a better grip on the boards this time (53:52 rebounds).
• The Hawks also gave away a strong game from De’Andre Hunter (27, 11/16) while John Collins (5, 1/9) was a total failure. For the Celtics, on the other hand, six players scored in double digits, Jaylen Brown, like Tatum, scored 31 points (12/22). Derrick White (18, 4/9 3P) and Marcus Smart (19) also knew how to convince.
• Should Boston also win Game 5, the series will start against the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday, April 29th. A time for the tip-off has not yet been set. However, if Atlanta wins, it won’t start until May 1st.
• Whether Murray will play for Atlanta in Game 5 is questionable. The guard gave one of the referees a slight nudge after the end of the game, which could have consequences. From a fine to a ban, a lot seems possible, the NBA is already investigating.

NBA Playoffs: Die Stats-Leader bei Hawks vs. Celtics

Minnesota Timberwolves (W8) – Denver Nuggets (W1) 114:108 OT (BOXSCORE), Series: 1-3

• That went well for the Wolves, who lost a 12-point lead in the last 2:50 minutes of regulation time, but then caught themselves in overtime. Nickeil Alexander-Walker (8) gave the hosts a cushion (+7) with two converted threes Anthony Edwards delivered the dagger with a nasty pullup, when it was feared that Minnesota would again lose a lead in a short time. So the first sweep of franchise history was still prevented.
• That the Wolves themselves though from this burglary once again recovered was quite astonishing. Two three-pointers by Michael Porter Jr., one by Nikola Jokic, a pass by the Serb and a free throw equalized the game. And it could have been worse: Jokic missed another free-throw, Edwards lost the ball on the last attack and was lucky that there weren’t two seconds left on the clock otherwise Denver would have won the game.
• Nevertheless: Edwards was clearly the best player in the Wolves, he rarely got the ball in this phase. With 16 of his 34 points, the Ant-Man had put Minnesota ahead in the third quarter, ahead of Mike Conley (19) and Karl-Anthony Towns (17, 5/9, 11 rebounds) delivered good minutes in the final section. Towns ended up fouling very needlessly in overtime and it was he who sent Jokic to the free-throw line with a stupid foul at -1 just before the end of the fourth quarter. With Rudy Gobert (14, 15 boards) light and shadow alternated again.
• However, the joker showed, but otherwise could only reproach himself little. 43 points (15/26 FG, 8/12 FT) meant setting his playoff best, plus 11 rebounds and 6 assists. Jamal Murray (19, 8/21), on the other hand, lacked a bit of luck, while Michael Porter Jr. (15) only woke up after the break.

NBA Playoffs: Die Stats-Leader bei Wolves vs. Nuggets