Game-4 is for the Warriors: the defense of the Dubs is decisive in the last few possessions. The strength of the Knicks collective does not give the Cavs a chance and can now close the series
Golden State Warriors- Sacramento Kings 126-125 (2-2)
—
Sacramento had the last shot to make it 3-1 and heroically capture San Francisco. To take on this responsibility could only be De’Aaron Fox, extraordinary for the entire 4th period, but the Warriors defense did what it had to do, taking the ball out of the hands of the Clutch Player of the Year and letting it be the great ex Harrison Barnes to try. A missed triple that gave Golden State a 2-2 lead in the series and sports survival. The Warriors were pounding on offense, taking full advantage of the defensive inaccuracies of the opponents and the driving energy of the Chase Center. An excellent 3rd quarter final to demonstrate one’s mental dominance and the usual charge of offensive quality, ignited with mastery and right timing by a majestic Steph Curry (32 points) and his disciples Thompson (26 points) and Poole (22 points ). Pieces of intelligent, impetuous and shared basketball, but always badly balanced by an intermittent and harmful intensity in the defensive half. Because the current Dubs live and die of sudden flames and race-4 certainly didn’t follow a different score. To decide the game, point by point in the final, were above all the defensive plays of the Warriors, which appeared at the right time like in the old days with the various Greens, Wiggins and Looney. Closing the way to the basket, forcing wrong choices on the opponents, making them think too much and intimidating them under the scoreboard, made the difference. In addition, of course, to Curry’s sudden solos. Sacramento played with maturity and cohesion, betting everything on the accelerations and boldness of the individuals. Because with people like De’Aaron Fox (38 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists) and Malik Monk (16 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds and 2 steals) you can’t do otherwise and it makes no sense to distort yourself, even if you play in the arena fire of a team that almost never loses at home. Authentic Kings in the basketball proposition and with a few too many regrets for the missed opportunity. The idea of wanting to play this kind of shot-for-shot basketball against the Warriors at the Chase Center, however, was perhaps a little reckless. You have to make the difference on defense and possessions under pressure and today Mike Brown’s men were missing something right there, not just on the last shot. But the performance was there and also of a high level. An encouraging sign in view of the next match. How encouraging was the performance of Keegan Murray (23 points and 7 rebounds), who played splendidly, at the age of 22 with an enormous personality, and who experienced first-hand the toughness of the playoffs to transform his potential into pure expression of talent. The series now returns to Sacramento for game 5 with a tap-off set for 4 am on the Italian night between Wednesday and Thursday.
Golden State: Curry 32 (11/22, 5/11 p.m., 5/5 p.m.), Thompson 26, Poole 22. Refunds: Looney 14. Assists: Green 7.
Sacramento: Fox 38 (14/31, 4/11 p.m., 6/8 p.m.), Murray 23, Monk 16. Reimbursements: Fox 9. Assists: Sabonis
New York Knicks-Cleveland Cavaliers 102-93 (3-1)
—
The Cleveland Cavaliers fail the Madison Square Garden exam and lose the second consecutive game in the sensational and spectacular New York bedlam. The Knicks triumph again, go up 3-1 and are now only one win away from advancing to the second round. There is no arena in the NBA like the Garden and Cleveland has experienced it on their own skin, probably frustrating a solid and promising regular season, in front of a hungry, organized and blood-eyed team. The Cavs really tried this time, playing it evenly especially in the 3rd quarter, but New York had a more conscious and aware attitude right from the tap-off. Tom Thibodeau’s men felt the match under their fingertips, they knew where they wanted to arrive and how, and all this confidence showed a lot even in this hard-fought game-4. Jalen Brunson (29 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists) amazing in attack for ball handling, reading and delicacy in touching the ball. An enlightening superstar. But New York is a team, not a collection of individual talent, and that’s why it had no problem absorbing a poor performance by Julius Randle (7 points and 3/10 shooting) to radiate its basketball identity in purity. Robinson (12 points, 11 rebounds and 2 blocks), Hart (19 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals) and Barrett (26 points) stepped up and fixed the blemishes. The strength of the collective. A splendid performance by the Knicks for thoroughness in determination. Cleveland willing but incomplete and disheartened, especially in two key players such as Donovan Mitchell (11 points, 5/18 shooting and 6 turnovers) and Evan Mobley (12 points), fouled out in the 4th period. The last to give up was Darius Garland (23 points and 10 assists) but perhaps it is precisely in the character and in the ability to react to the difficulties that the Cavs have seen all their certainties fall away. Now Mitchell and his companions are backed to the wall and can no longer make a mistake. The decisive game-5 is scheduled on the Italian night between Wednesday 26 and Thursday 27 April in Cleveland (starts at 1 am).
New York: Brunson 29 (11/22, 5/9 da tre, 2/2 tl), Barrett 26, Hart 19. Rimbalzi: Robinson 11. Assist: Brunson 6.
Cleveland: Garland 23 (9/16, 2/4 threes, 3/3 tl), LeVert 14, Allen 14. Rimbalzi: LeVert 9. Assists: Garland 10.
April 24, 2023 (change April 24, 2023 | 01:02)
© REPRODUCTION RESERVED
