2 Other Series 2 Game Fives

 

 

By Andrew Rosario

 

The Pheonix Suns, led by veteran All Star guard and first ballot Hall of Famer Chris Paul, will be home for a while after sweeping the Denver Nuggets and NBA MVP Nikola Jokic 4-0. In the clinching game, Jokic was ejected after being hit with a flagrant 2 foul as he raked Suns Cameron Payne’s face attempting take the ball away. ”I didn’t want to injure him or hit him in the head on purpose,” he would say after. Paul went on to score 37 points with Devon Booker adding 34 in the 125-118 series clinching win. The Suns will be making their first appearance in the Western Conference finals for the first time in 11 years. 

 

They will face the winner of the Los Angeles Clippers and the Utah Jazz as the Clippers tied the series at 2 after winning Monday at the Staples Center. The Clippers lost the first 2 games in the opening round against Dallas before winning the series in 7. Utah held serve winning their first two games at home and watched as the Clippers did the same on their home floor. In the Monday night win, Kawhi Leonard sparked the team with a resounding dunk over Derrick Favors bringing the crowd to its feet in the 118-104 win. Leonard finished with 31 points matched by teammate Paul George. Said George of Leonard’s play, “you see him being more aggressive and you know what time it is. It’s written all over him in terms of its go time. It’s playoff basketball. And, ultimately, it’s winning time.” Game 5 moved back to Utah last night before going back to Los Angeles for game 6 Friday night. It will be a closeout game for either team. 

 

 

 

 

Back in the East, the Atlanta Hawks got a wake-up call in their second round series against the #1 seed Philadelphia 76ers. They were feeling themselves after snatching game 1 in Philadelphia. The Hawks were brought back down to earth losing game 2. They followed that up by losing game 3 on their home floor. The Hawks season was on the brink when they hosted game 4 this past Monday night. The way the game started, it looked like the Sixers would take a commanding series lead. Philadelphia had an 18-point third quarter lead. Like the Leonard slam, Hawks John Collins woke up his team and sent the crowd in a frenzy. Off a Danilo Gallinari miss, Collins rocks the rim with a one-hand jam reducing the lead to 8 (71-63). It also woke up Trae Young who finished his night with 25 points only 8-26 but made up by handing out 18 assists. Teammates Bogdan Bogdanovic (22 points) and John Collins (14 points) picked up the slack as Atlanta stunned Philly in the 103-100 come from behind win. Said Young after, “any win can change momentum. Any win can spark your team’s energy. Hopefully, this will give us a little more momentum.” 76ers center Joel Embid, (21 rebounds) playing on a knee that has been less than 100%, struggled in the second half missing all of his 12 shots. Said Philly’s head coach Doc Rivers of the second half struggles, “we missed so many opportunities. My eyes told me that we blew a golden opportunity tonight.”

 

 

The series moved back to the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia Wednesday night with the winner looking to close out the series Friday night in Atlanta.