- Los Angeles Lakers 90; Phoenix Suns : 99.
The Suns clearly will not underestimate in these playoffs… The teammates of Devin Booker have indeed gained the upper hand over the Lakers in a generally controlled match. The start of the game is the advantage of the teammates of LeBron James but, very quickly, the Booker /Deandre Ayton takes its marks, and allows the Suns to lead the race at the same time. The two young people stars the Suns are unstoppable, with 10 points and 4 5/6 rebounds on shots for the pivot, and 9 points 4/7 for the back. Opposite, James (8 points, Andre Drummond (4 points and 4 rebounds) in 5 minutes and Montrezl Harrell (4 points and 2 rebounds in five minutes) float, but the Suns are still seven points ahead after 12 minutes. A cart that they will manage to keep during the second quarter, with a Booker still as hot (17 points 8/14 at half-time) and despite a fear on the shoulder for Chris Paul. But the leader returns, and allows to push back the Lakers, who had returned to three small units. Dominates in the racket by Ayton (who ends the game with 21 points and 16 rebounds, against 13 points and 7 rebounds for Anthony Davis) and unable to take a shot from far, the Lakers must do better in the second half to hope to win. But they will not succeed, and will therefore let the Suns fly to victory with their two stars, despite 18 points, 7 rebounds and 10 assists from James.
- Atlanta Hawks : 107; New York Knicks : 105.
Here is another meeting which will have kept all its promises, since the two teams were neck and neck for most of the meeting! However, the game started badly for the Knicks. Their opponents have screwed up the weak link in their middle five very well, and are playing on it: Elfrid Payton is thus exposed, and Bring young walks around to give his team a ten point lead. But Payton does not take long to join the bench, to make way Derrick Rose. But that was not enough and, lead by a hideous 7/26 on shots, the Knicks finished the first quarter 8 points behind. But if the men of Tom Thibodeau have shown a quality this season, it is resilience. And they will not give up, managing to return a possession before half-time, before regaining the advantage for the first time in the third quarter, then creating a small cart at the very end of the quarter. However, RJ Barrett and Julius Randle are not in it (6/23 on shots for the first, 6/15 for the second). But Thibodeau can count on two impressive men on his bench: Rose, who shows her experience (17 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists) and Alec Burks, which connects the complicated shots (27 points). The two rear are well second by a Taj Gibson as always precious (5 points and 9 rebounds), Immanuel Quickley (10 points) and one Obi Toppin which succeeds a good passage (12 minutes for 5 points, 1 rebound and 1 assist). But in front Young continues to walk (32 points, 7 rebounds and 10 assists) and he receives the precious help of Lou Williams off the bench (13 6/9 points in 12 minutes). Suddenly, the Knicks do not manage to take the lead, and the two teams even pass the lead in the last few minutes. 10 seconds from the end, Rose pulls a fine floater to allow the Knicks to come back equal. Madison Square Garden roars. But there is still enough time for the Hawks to score one final shot. Thibodeau decides to bring in Frank Ntilikina, very little used so far, to defend on Young for the last possession, but it was not enough. Young takes his turn a floater with less than a second on the clock to give his team the victory.
- Washington Wizards : 118: Philadelphie Sixers : 125.
As expected, the Sixers are too strong for the Wizards. And it was seen from the start of the match, since the teammates of Joel Embiid quickly took a ten point lead. But like the Knicks, the men of the capital do not give up, and return to the match thanks to the wrist of Davis Bertans (2/2 away in 5 minutes). They even manage to pass in front, and make their collective talk to compensate for the bad match of Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook and stay in the meeting. Until the middle of the third quarter. Corn Tobias Harris (37 points) and Joel Embiid are too strong (30 points), and very second by Ben Simmons (15 rebounds including 8 offensive, 15 assists, but only 6 points, 0/6 throws in particular). The Sixers manage to make a run despite the awakening of Beal (23 points in the second period, 33 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists) in total) to take a ten-point lead. A sufficient advantage, that they will not let go until buzzer.
- Memhpis Grizzlies : 112; Utah Jazz : 109.
And the surprise of the day is to put the side of the Grizzlies, who took the best on the Jazz, first of the Western conference. Always deprived of Donovan Mitchell, the men of Quin Snyder yet take the best start. Mike Conley Obviously wants to show himself against his former team and, if he is awkward (4/12 in the first half) he manages to land a lot of throws, and ends the first 24 minutes with 16 points. In its wake, Rudy Gobert hurts in the racket (5 and 11 rebounds at half time), and Jordan Clarkson facts of Clarkson off the bench (9 points). Everything has allowed the Jazz to take a fifteen point lead in the second quarter, but you should never underestimate these Grizzlies. Thrown by a Kyle Anderson untenable in defense (5 interceptions at half time, 6 in total) and effective in attack (11 points at half time) and by the duo Dillon Brooks (15 points)/Ja Morant (10 points, 3 assists) still there, the Grizzlies will have a big run at Jazz to gain the advantage at the very end of half-time. And they won’t let go of it anymore. Brooks does not slow down (31 points in the end), and Ja Morant still does the job, while opposite Conley slows down. Nobody is really there to take over, and the gap goes up to 17 points. Bojan bogdanovic (29 points 8/13 including 4/9 from far and 9/9 on throws in the second half) will then wake up, and chain complicated shots to bring his team a small point (110 109, 6.4 seconds to play ), despite the expulsion of Gobert for six fouls a few minutes earlier. The Grizzlies then have the ball, and the Jazz must fault. But their defense failed them, and Brooks managed to score a layup easy. There are 4 seconds left, and a time out for the Jazz who absolutely must score from afar. But Bogdanovic is well off, and gives us a nice brick, letting the Grizzlies win.
Washington 118 Philadelphia 125
LA Lakers 90 Phoenix 99
Atlanta 107 New York 105
Memphis 112 Utah 109
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