Basketball:Clippers in conference finals for the first time after catching up
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Directly from the dpa news channel
Los Angeles (AP) – The Los Angeles Clippers are in the final of the Western Conference for the first time in their history.
Even without the injured Kawhi Leonard and despite being 25 points behind, the Clippers won 131: 119 against the favored Utah Jazz and decided the semi-final series 4: 2 in front of about 19,000 spectators. In the finals, the Clippers will now face the Phoenix Suns, who had won 4-0 against the Denver Nuggets.
It was only at 95:94 in the last quarter that the Clippers took the lead again after they had been behind with 25 points. Leonard, with his knee injured, could not help the first game in the Staples Center without any conditions in terms of spectator capacity since Corona, but Terance Mann contributed an unexpectedly high number of points with 39 points. For the Jazz, the best team in the main round, the season is over. Donovan Mitchell had 39 points for his team.
Previously, the Philadelphia 76ers forced a playoff game with a hard-fought win over the Atlanta Hawks. In the semifinals of the Eastern Conference, the 76ers achieved a 104-99 in game six and are now playing in front of their own audience on Sunday for the decisive fourth win in the series against the Hawks.
At halftime four points behind, the 76ers laid the foundation for success in the third quarter. Joel Embiid had 22 points and 13 rebounds, Seth Curry and Tobias Harris each contributed 24 points. In the Hawks, Trae Young was by far the most successful shooter with 34 points.
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