Playoffs Day 5
Pre Game: Today we have 3 more games, #4 Boston vs #5 Indiana, #4 Houston vs #5 Utah and #1 Milwaukee vs #8 Detroit. 2 of the games will be competitive (most likely), while the Bucks vs Pistons will be another big blowout. Blake Griffin is questionable with a knee injury for the Pistons.
In other news, Gonzaga star Brandon Clarke entered his name into the NBA Draft, and according to NBADraft.net, he is going to be picked #25 by Portland (yeah!)
1st Game: In the 1st game of the series, we see Game 2 of #4 Boston vs #5 Indiana. Boston won a slow and low-scoring affair 84-74 in Game 1. Al Horford is battling with an illness, he will play but he is not 100%. The teams started off really hot, shooting a combined 10-12 to start. Indiana looked to pick up the pace and get quick and easy shots before the tough Boston defense gets set. At the end of the 1st quarter, the Pacers led by 4, 33-29. Irving and Tatum had 13 combined and Bogdanovic had 10 points. The Pacers shot 65%, but the Celtics hit 5 3’s. The Celtics led by 2 at the half, 52-50. Irving had 18 and Jayson Tatum had 12 points. Thaddeus Young had 13 points and Bogdanovic had 12 points, equaling his entire total from Game 1. The big concern for Indiana is in Game 1, they collapsed in the 3rd quarter, shooting 2/19 from the field and scoring just 8 points. At the end of 3, the Pacers led 79-68. Boston just scored 16 in the 3rd. Irving had 10 in the quarter, 28 for the game and was Boston’s only offense. Bogdanovic had 17 points for the Pacers, Thadeous Young added 15 points. Boston opened the 4th quarter with an 8-0 in and cut the lead to 4, 82-78. Kyrie hit 2 3’s in a row and gave Boston an 84-82 lead, he has 34 points on the night. With 50 seconds left, Tatum hit a 3 to give Boston a 92-91 lead. With 12.1 seconds left, Gordon Hayward scored on a layup to give Boston a 3 point lead, 94-91. Indiana turned the ball over on the pass in and Boston got the ball in. Tatum got the and-one dunk, converted it and the lead was 6, 97-91. Another turnover for Indiana and they fouled Hayward with 3.6 left. He made both and the Boston Celtics won 99-91, and take a 2-0 series lead as the series shifts to Indiana. Irving had 37 points, Tatum had 26. Bogdanovic had 23, Thaddeus Young had 15. Boston outscored Indiana 31-12 in the 4th, somewhat like the 3rd quarter for Indiana in Game 1. This might have been even worse as the Pacers allowed Boston to go on a 10-0 run in the last 0:51 of the game.
Game 2: In the 2nd game of the night, we see #1 Milwaukee vs #8 Detroit. Giannis and the Bucks blew out the Pacers who were without Blake Griffin in Game 1 and will be without him again in Game 2, so it will likely be another blowout. At the end of the 1st quarter, the Bucks led 38-27. Eric Bledsoe had 12 points for the Bucks, Reggie Jackson had 8 for Detroit. The Detroit Pistons played a great half of basketball and led by 1, 59-58. Kennard and Jackson both had 14 for the Pistons. Middleton had 15 for the Bucks, Bledsoe had 14 points. The Bucks pushed the lead to 9 with 6:40 left in the 3rd. The Bucks were finally able to pull away from the Pistons late in the 3rd, outscoring them 35-17 in the quarter. The Bucks eventually went on to win the game, 120-99. Middleton, Bledsoe, and Antetokoumpo combined for 77 points. Kennard, Jackson, and Drummond combined for 55 points. The Bucks take Game 2 and go up 2-0 in the series, now the series shifts to Detroit as the Bucks look to sweep the Pistons and advance to the 2nd round.
Game 3: In the 3rd and final game of the night, we have #4 Houston vs #5 Utah from Houston. Houston won Game 1 in a blowout, 122-90. Utah needs to step up on defense, as I’m sure you all saw this, Utah was guarding James Harden against his left side, and he just drove to the hoop and either scored or lobbed it up to his center Clint Capela. Utah needs to play better defense and get more production from Joe Ingles, who only had 3 points in Game 1. At the end of the 1st, the Rockets were dominating, 39-19 over the Jazz. Harden had 17 in the 1st, Mitchell Gobert and Rubio all had 4 points. Again, the Jazz did not play great defense on Harden, and he made them pay. By the end of the 1st half, the Rockets were playing with the Jazz, 70-44. James Harden had 25 points, PJ Tucker and Eric Gordon combined for 28 points for the Rockets. Royce O’ Neale had 10 points for the Jazz. If the Rockets continue to play at this high level, then this series will be a sweep. Unless the Jazz play like the Clippers and somehow come back from this huge lead, the Rockets have this game in the bag. I did not even watch the 2nd half and did not even have to worry about it as the Rockets once again blew out the Jazz, 118-98. James Harden had 32 points, 10 assists, and 13 rebounds, his 3rd career triple-double, Chris Paul had 17 points. Ricky Rubio and Royce O’Neale both had 17 for the Jazz. The Jazz shot 8/38 from 3, that’s 21.1%. That’s horrible. That needs to change, but if that does not the Rockets will continue to dominate as they have, taking a 2-0 series led as the series shifts to Utah.
So, once again, I hope you are enjoying the 2019 NBA Playoffs, please leave a comment on how your team is doing and what I should once the Playoffs end and when there is a day off from the Playoffs.
