Hawks Earn Playoff Berth With Win Over Heat
The Atlanta Hawks defeated the Miami Heat, 116-105, at Kaseya Center in the NBA Play-In Tournament on Tuesday.
The Hawks and the Heat battled to earn a spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs and delivered a back-and-forth contest. The Hawks enjoyed a strong start and raced out to a 36-27 lead in the first quarter, making it a double-digit contest following a 29-23 score in the second quarter. Leading by 15 points, Atlanta could not maintain the pace, and Miami took advantage of that. The Heat won the third quarter by a 28-26 score and the fourth quarter by a 27-25 score. However, that was not enough to mount a comeback. The Hawks closed the game out, and the win clinched them the seventh place in the postseason bracket, forcing them to play the Boston Celtics. Meanwhile, the Heat will host either the Raptors or Bulls on Friday to decide the eighth seed and a spot against the top-seeded Bucks.
Trae Young was the best player for the Hawks and finished with 25 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Dejounte Murray finished with 18 points, six assists and five rebounds. Clint Capela only scored four points, but he also grabbed 21 rebounds and registered two blocks. John Collins notched 10 points and four rebounds. Saddiq Bey finished with 17 points and six boards. Onyeka Okongwu delivered 12 points, four boards and three assists. Bogdan Bogdanovic had 14 points.
Kyle Lowry came off the bench and finished with 33 points, his highest-scoring game since joining the Heat. Lowry also added five assists and four rebounds. Tyler Herro finished with 26 points, six rebounds and two steals. Jimmy Butler had 21 points, nine assists, four rebounds and two steals. Bam Adebayo delivered 12 points with nine boards.
The Hawks and the Heat battled to earn a spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs and delivered a back-and-forth contest. The Hawks enjoyed a strong start and raced out to a 36-27 lead in the first quarter, making it a double-digit contest following a 29-23 score in the second quarter. Leading by 15 points, Atlanta could not maintain the pace, and Miami took advantage of that. The Heat won the third quarter by a 28-26 score and the fourth quarter by a 27-25 score. However, that was not enough to mount a comeback. The Hawks closed the game out, and the win clinched them the seventh place in the postseason bracket, forcing them to play the Boston Celtics. Meanwhile, the Heat will host either the Raptors or Bulls on Friday to decide the eighth seed and a spot against the top-seeded Bucks.
Trae Young was the best player for the Hawks and finished with 25 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Dejounte Murray finished with 18 points, six assists and five rebounds. Clint Capela only scored four points, but he also grabbed 21 rebounds and registered two blocks. John Collins notched 10 points and four rebounds. Saddiq Bey finished with 17 points and six boards. Onyeka Okongwu delivered 12 points, four boards and three assists. Bogdan Bogdanovic had 14 points.
Kyle Lowry came off the bench and finished with 33 points, his highest-scoring game since joining the Heat. Lowry also added five assists and four rebounds. Tyler Herro finished with 26 points, six rebounds and two steals. Jimmy Butler had 21 points, nine assists, four rebounds and two steals. Bam Adebayo delivered 12 points with nine boards.
Lakers Topple Timberwolves in OT, 108-102
The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves in overtime, 108-102, at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday night in their Western Conference Play-In Game.
The Lakers (43-39 in regular season, 1-0 in postseason) appeared to be overwhelmed on their home floor early, incurring a 60-49 deficit after the first two quarters. However, Los Angeles began making inroads against the Timberwolves (42-40 in regular season, 0-1 in postseason) in the third quarter, knocking four points from its deficit in the third quarter and then putting on a stellar defensive display to force overtime by limiting Minnesota to 12 points in the final period. The dominance continued in the extra period, as L.A. allowed just four points to win going away.
Karl-Anthony Towns led the Timberwolves with 24 points, adding 11 rebounds, five assists and three blocks. Mike Conley furnished 23 points, four boards, four assists, three steals and one block. Taurean Prince supplied 14 points, three rebounds and three steals. Kyle Anderson generated a 12-point, 13-assist double-double that included five rebounds, four steals and four blocks. Nickeil Alexander-Walker furnished 11 points, four rebounds, two assists and one steal.
LeBron James led the Lakers with a 30-point, 10-rebound double-double that included six assists, two blocks and one steal. Anthony Davis contributed 24 points, 15 rebounds, four assists, three blocks and two steals. Dennis Schroder registered 21 points, four rebounds, two assists and one steal. Austin Reaves posted 12 points, six boards and three assists. Rui Hachimura totaled 12 points as well while adding two rebounds and one assist.
The Timberwolves will now face either the Thunder or Pelicans at Target Center on Friday night to determine the No. 8 seed, while the Lakers have secured the No. 7 seed and will face the Memphis Grizzlies at FedEx Forum in Game 1 of a quarterfinal-round series on Sunday afternoon.
The Lakers (43-39 in regular season, 1-0 in postseason) appeared to be overwhelmed on their home floor early, incurring a 60-49 deficit after the first two quarters. However, Los Angeles began making inroads against the Timberwolves (42-40 in regular season, 0-1 in postseason) in the third quarter, knocking four points from its deficit in the third quarter and then putting on a stellar defensive display to force overtime by limiting Minnesota to 12 points in the final period. The dominance continued in the extra period, as L.A. allowed just four points to win going away.
Karl-Anthony Towns led the Timberwolves with 24 points, adding 11 rebounds, five assists and three blocks. Mike Conley furnished 23 points, four boards, four assists, three steals and one block. Taurean Prince supplied 14 points, three rebounds and three steals. Kyle Anderson generated a 12-point, 13-assist double-double that included five rebounds, four steals and four blocks. Nickeil Alexander-Walker furnished 11 points, four rebounds, two assists and one steal.
LeBron James led the Lakers with a 30-point, 10-rebound double-double that included six assists, two blocks and one steal. Anthony Davis contributed 24 points, 15 rebounds, four assists, three blocks and two steals. Dennis Schroder registered 21 points, four rebounds, two assists and one steal. Austin Reaves posted 12 points, six boards and three assists. Rui Hachimura totaled 12 points as well while adding two rebounds and one assist.
The Timberwolves will now face either the Thunder or Pelicans at Target Center on Friday night to determine the No. 8 seed, while the Lakers have secured the No. 7 seed and will face the Memphis Grizzlies at FedEx Forum in Game 1 of a quarterfinal-round series on Sunday afternoon.