Aurélien CANOT, Media365, published on Thursday, June 17, 2021 at 08:42 a.m.
Led by 26 points by Philadelphia on the Sixers floor in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, Atlanta signed the Heist of the Year to finally win 109-106 and regain the lead. in the series (3-2). In the West, the Clippers, yet deprived of Kawhi Leonard, lead for the first time (3-2) after their 119-111 success on the Utah floor on Wednesday night.
A march separates Atlanta and the Clippers from the conference finals after Game 5 of the semi-finals, played Wednesday night. Led after the first three meetings by Philadelphia, in the East, the Hawks regained the advantage after their new success (109-106) on the floor of the Sixers. A second victory in Pennsylvania in the form of a rather incredible hold-up, knowing that Trae Young, still huge (39 points, 7 assists) and the Georgians found themselves behind by 26 points in the third quarter. A monster delay which did not prevent the fifth in the regular season from completely reversing the course of the match in the second half and snatching the victory thanks to the inevitable Trae Young, author of the victory basket and who in the process offered his record of points in the play-offs against this team of Phily who nevertheless thought to hold his victory in the wake of his two leaders of the evening Joel Embiid (37 points, 13 rebounds) and Seth Curry (36 points ). It is however Atlanta which will have the possibility in two days to validate its ticket for the final. The Clippers could also finish the job Friday night if they beat Utah again, at Staples Center, as they did for the third time in the series, Wednesday in Salt Lake City (119-111), where they did not. ‘had known only defeats since the start of these semi-finals in the West.
George made Leonard forget
Without Kawhi Leonard, who could not play again this season, the specialists did not give much in this game 5 of the Californians’ skin against the best NBA team of the regular season. The start of the meeting also proved the skeptics right, with a Jazz once again a tone above the Clippers on his floor (65-60 at the break). Rudy Gobert (17 points, 10 rebounds) and Bogdan Bogdanovic (32 points) in the first place also gave the feeling that nothing could happen to their team. Paul George then took matters into his own hands. Author of one of his best games of the season, with 37 points to 12 of 22 on shots, 16 rebounds and 5 assists, the usual luxury pair of Leonard, well helped by Marcus Morris Sr (25 points) and Reggie Jackson (22), first knocked out his opponents in the third quarter (32-18) before continuing at the same pace in the last period to allow the his own to sign their first victory of the series at the Jazz and thus take the advantage for the first time.
BASKET – NBA / PLAY-OFFS 2021
2nd round
Eastern Conference
PHILADELPHIA 76ERS (1) – ATLANTA HAWKS (5) : 2-3
Match 1 – Philadelphia 76ers – Atlanta Hawks : 124-128
Match 2 –Philadelphia 76ers – Atlanta Hawks : 118-102
Match 3 – Atlanta Hawks – Philadelphia 76ers : 111-127
Match 4 – Atlanta Hawks – Philadelphia 76ers : 103-100
Match 5 : Philadelphia 76ers – Atlanta Hawks : 106-109
Match 6 : Atlanta Hawks – Philadelphia 76ers June 18
Match 7 (if necessary): Philadelphia 76ers – Atlanta Hawks June 20
Western Conference
UTAH JAZZ (1) – LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS (4) : 2-3
Match 1 –Utah Jazz – Los Angeles Clippers : 112-109
Match 2 – Utah Jazz – Los Angeles Clippers : 117-111
Match 3 – Los Angeles Clippers – Utah Jazz : 132-106
Match 4 – Los Angeles Clippers – Utah Jazz : 118-104
Match 5 : Utah Jazz – Los Angeles Clippers : 111-119
Match 6 : Los Angeles Clippers – Utah Jazz June 18
Match 7 (if necessary): Utah Jazz – Los Angeles Clippers June 20
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