The East’s top seed Heat did not sit so comfortably after last night. Trae Young lifts the winner of the game to bring the Hawks right back into the series.
Young finished with 24 points and eight assists to go with the winner of that game. Things would have looked pretty bad if the shot hadn’t fallen – no NBA team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit to win the playoff series.
In the midfield, Khris Middleton’s absence from the field last night with a sprained MCL didn’t stop the Bucks from completely embarrassing the Bulls in front of the home crowd, sending the first series to a 2-1 split. Two-time MVP Giannis Antentokounmpo didn’t even have to commit an offense – Grayson Allen actually scored more points than Greek Freak last night, with a career-high playoff record of 22, and Bobby Portis scored himself. 18.
It might be 2-1, but it feels like a long-term ending. The rest of this series seems like it’s just a mere formality for the Bucks, who are shaking off the only loss they’ve had to the Bulls this season and are right back in the trenches, rising strengthen the defense and fill the Middleton-sized Gap relatively easily. It’s the same old news for the Bulls – they’ve had a standout season in the East, but they’ve rarely been able to win against opponents that have joined them at the top of the leaderboard.
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In the South, the 1-8 Suns-Pelicans game turned unexpectedly tense, especially when Phoenix’s top scorer Devin Booker strained his hamstring. The Suns are failing for weeks without Booker, but they found a way last night with a massive fourth quarterback from Chris Paul and a dominating performance from Deandre Ayton.
When I tell you the game is over on a whistle blower with a final score of 114-111, it’s not quite as exciting as it sounds. The Suns took the lead in the final minute of the game, but a last-second shot sent New Orleans into the third round, even if it didn’t make much sense. It could be the most exciting series of the first round as they continue in Louisiana on Sunday, with the Suns’ 2-1 lead feeling a lot more precarious than the Bucks or Heat at the moment.
