MIAMI, United States — Top seeds
Miami and
Phoenix moved to within one win of the NBA
conference finals on Tuesday after scoring blowout victories against
Philadelphia and Dallas.
اضافة اعلان
In Miami,
Jimmy Butler scored 23 points in a balanced offensive effort as the Heat thrashed the
Philadelphia 76ers 120–85 to seize control of their best-of-seven Eastern
Conference playoff series.
It was a similar
story in Phoenix, where the
Suns overwhelmed the Mavericks to score a 110–80
win in the Western Conference playoffs.
Both Miami and
Phoenix now lead their respective series 3–2, needing just one win from their
final two games to advance to the conference finals.
Dallas had roared
back into contention to level the series at 2–2 on Sunday after dropping games
one and two in Phoenix last week.
But normal service
resumed as Phoenix reasserted themselves emphatically in front of their home
fans on Tuesday.
Devin Booker led
the Phoenix scoring with 28 points while Deandre Ayton had 20 points with nine
rebounds.
Dallas had led by
as much as eight points during an even first half that saw the Suns lead by
three at the break.
But Phoenix
erupted in the third quarter, outscoring Dallas by 33–14 to take a stranglehold
on the contest.
Luka Doncic led
the Mavericks scorers with 28 points and 11 rebounds with Jalen Brunson
providing support with 21 points.
Sixers outplayed
In the Eastern Conference, Miami look poised to punch their ticket to the
next round after dominating a subdued Philadelphia.
Few would bet
against Miami closing out the series in game six on Thursday against a
Philadelphia team who were outplayed in every department.
Butler was one of
seven Miami players who finished in double figures, with Max Strus contributing
19 points and 10 rebounds and Gabe Vincent adding 15 points.
Victor Oladipo added 13 off the bench while Bam Adebayo had 12.
Philadelphia
meanwhile struggled to get going at any stage, with Joel Embiid, wearing a
protective facemask once more to shield a fractured orbital bone, clearly not
firing on all cylinders.
Embiid finished
with 17 points to lead the Sixers scoring, while James Harden had just 14.
Overall Philadelphia shot just 31 of 85 from the field.
“We did what we
were supposed to do once again, we won at home,” Butler said.
“We’re a different
team when we make shots. But I don’t like that, I want us to get stops no
matter what and then worry about making shots.”
Asked what it
will take to clinch the series in game six on Thursday, Butler replied: “Us to
continue to play basketball the right way, us to get stops and not rely on
making shots.
“I promise you if
we don’t give a damn about making shots and just concentrate on defense, we
will win.”
Sixers coach
Doc Rivers was at a loss to explain his team’s failure to show up.
“They were just so
much more engaged, more physical,” Rivers said of Miami.
“There’s a lot of
disappointment from all of us tonight.”
“We played at a
snail’s pace, had just 85 shots, turned the ball over. Everything they did
tonight was harder and better than us. “
“Their energy was
better, their toughness was better.”
Asked what aspects
of the game had gone wrong, Rivers replied: “I’ll have to watch the tape — or
burn the tape. Probably watch it because I have to, and then I’ll burn it.
“But we’ll be ready next
game because we have to be.”
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