Boston, umukit ng 4-0; Warriors at Blazers, abante sa 3-1
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Linis-bahay ang karamihan sa Easter Sunday. Hindi naman nagpahuli sina Gordon Hayward at Marcus Morris.
Pinagtulungan ng dalawa ang pagtaktak ng Boston Celtics sa Indiana Pacers para makumpleto ang tanging 4-0 sweep sa NBA playoff series sa manipis na 110-106 panalo nitong Linggo (Lunes sa Manila).
Kumubra si Hayward ng 20 puntos, habang kumana si Morris ng 18 puntos para sandigan ang Celtics sa semifinals ng Eastern Conference.
Dating PBA player na sapilitang nanghalik ng babae sa bar, himas-rehas!
“I knew there was going to be a spark off the bench. (On Sunday) and that person was Gordon Hayward,” pahayag ni All-Star guard Kyrie Irving. “This is his city. I’m glad he had a chance to put on a performance like that in a closeout game.”
Matagal nang hindi nakapanalo ng sweep ang Boston na may tangan ang league-record 17 title.
Mula noong 1986-87, isang beses lamang itong nagawa ng Celtics – sa first round kontra New York Knicks. At sa pagitan ng impresibong title-clinching sweep kontra sa Minneapolis Lakers noong 1958-59 at sa 1985-86 Eastern Conference finals kontra Milwaukee, dalawang ulit lamang nakapagtala ang Celtics ng sweep -- 1979 kontra Houston at 1980 laban sa Chicago.
“It’s going to take everything we have,” pahayag ni Hayward. “That’s why it’s good we finished this series. We can rest up, prepare, and have some extra time.”
Nanguna si Bojan Bogdanovic sa Indiana na may 22 puntos, habang tumipa si Tyreke Evans ng playoff career-high 21 sa masaklap na kabiguan ng Pacers .
“They got hot,” sambit ni Pacers forward Thaddeus Young. “They started making shots and we stopped making shots. That’s one of the biggest thing that’s haunted us through
WARRIORS 113, CLIPPERS 105
Sa Los Angeles, muling sinilaban ng mainit na outside shooting ng Golden State Warriors ang pamosong Staples Center nang pabagsakin ang Los Angeles Clippers. 113-105.
Matapos masilat sa Game 2, nagbalik sa dating anyo at anta sang laro ng Warriors, sa pangunguna nina Kevin Durant na may 33 puntos, habang kumana si Thompson ng 32 puntos para sa 3-1 bentahe sa kanilang Western Conference first -round playoff .
“We came in with that mindset to put our foot on the throttle and not let go,” pahayag ni Thompson. “We let go in Game 2 and we won’t do that the rest of the playoffs. I really believe that.”
“In the first quarter, we really didn’t need to do anything special. Klay was just amazing. K.D. was consistent the whole game,” sambit naman Stephen Curry. “For us, obviously with the threats we have out there, it is just a matter of trying to be as patient as possible.”
Muli nalagay sa foul trouble si Curry ay nagtala lamang ng 12 puntos. Nag-ambag sii Andrew Bogut ng walong puntos at 10 rebounds.
Gaganapin ang Game 5 sa Miyerkoles sa Oakland.
“The rebounding really hurt us again,” sambit ni Clippers coach Doc Rivers. “Right now they are crushing us on the glass.”
“This team was just looking for a crack,” ayon kay Durant. “They don’t stop. Even when you go home after the game you’re going to be thinking of them because they’re tough.”
Nakipagbuno ang Clippers mula simula hanggang wakas nang maidikit ang iskor sa 87-86 sa kaagahan ng final period.
Nanguna si rookie Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sa Clippers na may career-high 25 puntos at tumipa si Danilo Gallinari ng 16 puntos.
“He played with no fear,” sambit ni Durant patungkol kay Gilgeous-Alexander, “and that’s what kept them in the game most of the game.”
BLAZERS 111, THUNDER 98
Sa Oklahoma City, tinupok ng Portland Trail BVlazers, sa pangunguna ni Damian Lillard na may 25 puntos, ang Oklahoma City Thunder para sa 3-1 bentahe ng kanbilang best6-of-seven first-round playoff.
Nagsalansan si C.J. McCollum ng 27 puntos, habang tumipa si Al-Farouq Aminu ng 19 puntos at siyam na rebounds at nag-ambag si Maurice Harkless ng 15 puntos.
Target ng Blazers na tapusin ang serye sa Martes (Miyerkoles sa Manila) sa Game 5.
Nanguna si Paul George sa Thuider na may 32 puntos at 10 rebounds at umiskor si Dennis Schroder ng 17 puntos.
RAPTORS 107, MAGIC 85
Sa Orlando, Florida , kumawala si Kawhi Leonard, umiskor ng team-high 34 puntos, sa sa malalintang depensa ng Orlando Magic, para sandigan ang Toronto Raptors sa 3-1 bentahe sa kanilang Eastern Conference first-round series,
Nag-ambag sina Pascal Siakam at Norman Powell ng tig-16 puntos para sa Raptors, target makausad sa semifinals sa panalo sa Game Five sa Martes (Miyerkules sa Manila).
Nanguna si Aaron Gordon sa Magic na may 25 puntos, at umeksena sina Evan Fournier na may 19 puntos at Nikola Vucevic na may 11 puntos.
“It’s fun,” sambit ni Leonard. “This is what you play for all season long. And I’m just grateful to be out here on the floor again. I’m feeling good. It took a long time for me to get healthy but I’m happy with the way things are turning out now.”
