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New playoff night last night in the NBA, with Brooklyn and – surprisingly – Dallas taking an option in their playoffs while the Suns failed to make a break from the Lakers. Back on the results of an eventful night.
Brooklyn still walks on the C’s
#7 Boston Celtics @ #2 Brooklyn Nets : 108-130
Two games and two wins for the Nets who were on display at the Barclays Center last night. Without trembling, the men of Steve Nash took place against the unanswered Celtics who suffered throughout the meeting. If Boston goes well in his match, wanting to forget a badly negotiated Match 1, the Brooklyn machine will start up very quickly. In the space of a few moments, the Nets go 13-0 and already fly. The C’s reacted through Evan Fournier (16 pts) but the gap remained significant when the first twelve minutes of the match were completed (40-26).
Already back to the wall, the Celtics will see the Nets increase their lead. In the wake of a scorer and organizer James Harden (20 pts, 5 rbd, 7 ast), Brooklyn has fun and takes twenty then twenty-five points in advance, already condemning a Boston franchise unable to find solutions to face to the New York defense which is gradually increasing in intensity. At the break, the Celtics are dropped (-24) and things will not get better after the locker room. Indeed, Kevin Durant (26 pts, 8 rbd, 5 ast, 4 blk) walks while the rest of the team unfolds, allowing Brooklyn to exceed the threshold of thirty points in advance during the third quarter. .
If the result of the match seems known, Boston does not abdicate and continues to fight with its weapons. Marcus Smart scored 19 points in the only third quarter and the gap decreased slightly, without worrying Brooklyn too much. The Nets are in total control and can even afford to rest the Irving / Durant duo who will not hit the floor in the last round, the dolphins of the Eastern Conference being sure to win the game. Boston therefore returns to Massachusetts having conceded two defeats and having potentially lost Jayson Tatum, affected in the eye: bad omen before a Match 3 already determining Friday night.
???? 26 points for @KDTrey5
???? 8-12 shooting
???? 4 blocks
???? @BrooklynNets go up 2-0G3 – Fri, 8:30pm/et, ABC #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/nZNglFPLYb
– NBA (@NBA) May 26, 2021
The Lakers equalize on the wire
#7 Los Angeles Lakers @ #2 Phoenix Suns
When the stars go, everything goes for the Lakers. In Phoenix Suns Arena electric, Los Angeles managed to snatch the equalizer at the end of a tense and indecisive meeting. From the start of the match, the two teams surrender blow for blow, exchange the faults and no easy basket is granted by two defenses which play with the heart. Clumsy in these first minutes, Phoenix however lets the Lakers take up to ten points in advance in this first quarter, they who dominate the rebound in the wake of an Anthony Davis (34 pts, 10 rbd, 7 ast, 3 blk) seeking redemption. Devin Booker (31 pts) will do his best not to let this lead grow, but Los Angeles turns well in the lead after twelve minutes of play.
The second quarter was just as hotly contested, with a defense from the Lakers compensating for the offensive difficulties caused by the exit of LeBron James to stay ahead on the scoreboard. The Suns give themselves to the image of Cameron Payne, very prolific off the bench (19 pts) and return to a possession, but Los Angeles can count on Dennis Schröder (24 pts including half in QT2) and an Andre Drummond already double-double to take to the open sea. If Phoenix will close the gap before the break (-6), Frank Vogel’s players will put a new boost when they return from the locker room with a run of 8-0 which gives them nearly fifteen points in advance. The gap seems to stabilize despite the efforts of Devin Booker or Cameron Johnson, but nothing is yet decided before entering the last quarter (79-72).
In a hectic room, Phoenix will use all the energy of the public to galvanize his troops and come back to height. Without Chris Paul, physically diminished and out a little earlier, other players like Cameron Payne and Jae Crowder stand out and allow the Suns to equalize and even get ahead (88-86) with seven minutes remaining. Match ! The suspense is totally revived, but the stars of the Lakers will release the blue heat to protect their franchise. Thanks to a hyperactive Anthony Davis and a decisive LeBron James, the Purple & Gold resume up to nine points ahead of time two minutes from time. Phoenix will then stumble on the defense of Angelenos who do not let anything pass and tilts, resetting the counters to zero before going to California. In a game far from easy, the executives of the Lakers were able to respond.
All-around game from @ AntDavis23 to lift the @Lakers in Game 2! #NBAPlayoffs
✨ 34 PTS
✨ 10 REB
✨ 7 AST
✨ 3 BLKGame 3 ⏩ Thu, 10 PM ET, TNT pic.twitter.com/AjjYWd3WJd
– NBA (@NBA) May 26, 2021
The Clippers already back to the wall
#5 Dallas Mavericks @ #4 Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles had home court advantage, but the Clippers will go to Texas having conceded two losses. In the wake of an excellent Luka Doncic (39 pts, 7 rbd, 7 ast), Dallas once again dictated its law against a Californian franchise which has never counted more than one possession in advance. From the start of the match, the Mavericks punish the opposing defense and take the lead in the game. Los Angeles benefits in particular from the entry into play of Nicolas Batum to increase in intensity and get back into the rhythm, but it is ultimately Kawhi Leonard who will allow his family to pick up. Author of 18 points in the first quarter, The Klaw connects free throws and mid-distance shots to bring the Clippers to -2 after twelve minutes of play (35-33).
Back to back, the two teams then surrender blow for blow. Excessively skillful in this second quarter (73% shooting), Clippers and Mavericks exchange courtesies and remain shoulder to shoulder until the break. Kawhi Leonard – 30 points at the break – carries Los Angeles on his back and allows his teammates to take the lead at the break (73-71). However, things will quickly change when we get back from the locker room. In lack of address, the Clippers can not respond to the assaults of Luka Doncic and Tim Hardaway Jr. (28 pts) which allow the Mavericks to break away. Dallas takes up to twelve points in advance and Los Angeles is only given a little air thanks to Reggie Jackson, author of two 3 pts at the best time. However, the Clippers are still relegated to nine lengths before the last quarter (101-92).
On their way, the Mavs consolidate their domination a little more by increasing the gap to +14. The Clippers are resisting as best they can but Dallas keep a ten-point lead, and it is finally necessary that Kawhi Leonard and Terrance Mann work to bring Los Angeles to -4 to one minute from the buzzer and revive the suspense. Tim Hardaway Jr. then extinguished the Staples Center with another award-winning shot, his sixth of the game, and the Mavs just have to secure throws from Josh Richardson to secure a second success in the series. If the Clippers have said they are not panicking, it will definitely require a reaction from Tyronn Lue’s players in Match 3.
39 points for @ luka7doncic.
2-0 lead for @dallasmavs.Series shifts to Dallas on Friday at 9:30 PM ET on ESPN.. #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/n51k893CU8
– NBA (@NBA) May 26, 2021
Continuation of the NBA playoffs tonight with three new meetings on the program. Philadelphia will try to widen the gap against Washington in the early evening as the Knicks host the Hawks for the second time at Madison Square Garden, before Utah tries to correct the situation against Memphis. after the loss conceded in Match 1. Meet at 1:00 am for the start of hostilities.
Image on top credit: Smiley N. Pool / The Dallas Morning News
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