NBA playoff action continued Thursday with quite the trio of point-total similarities.
The Atlanta Hawks slugged it out to a 98-85 end result over the Indiana Pacers, while the Memphis Grizzlies needed overtime for their winning total of 98 versus the Oklahoma City Thunder. As for the Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors, it would only make sense that the victorious squad fell two points short of the century mark as well.
Yes—offense indeed came at an eerily similar premium in all three matchups.
On that inexplicable copycat note, let’s move on to the more logically inclined recaps.
Atlanta 98, Indiana 85
Favorable outcomes generally don’t result from collective 38.4 percent shooting performances in the NBA.
Yet, when nearly half of the total shots fall in from distance, with another 30 from the foul line finding the bottom of the net, negative appearances turn positive in a hurry.
The Hawks defended their home court by a double-digit margin despite making four fewer field goals. The Pacers owned the dubious edge in that department 32-28. It was Kyle Korver’s team-leading four three-pointers, however, that essentially powered the 13-point victory.
Fellow backcourt member Jeff Teague led Atlanta with 22 PTS and 10 AST. He helped orchestrate just enough flow on offense for a Hawks contingent that never trailed following any quarter. Paul Millsap contributed a 14-PTS, 14-REB double-double and earned a plus-20 while on the floor.
Even with stretch-five big man Pero Antic going 0-of-4 from downtown and Indiana limiting center Roy Hibbert to only 19 minutes, the Pacers once again fell short. Early-season MVP-candidate Paul George shot a dismal 3-of-11 and registered a negative-16 in 36 minutes. Struggling point guard George Hill was even worse— scoring just four points in the same extended time frame.
A double-double from resident enforcer Lance Stephenson (21 PTS, 13 REB) and Luis Scola’s 17 points in just 20 minutes were the lone bright spots for the dysfunctional Pacers.
Game 4 in Atlanta is set for Saturday afternoon at 2:00 PM ET.
Memphis 98, Oklahoma City 95
The superior club generated a late push, but the underdog ultimately held strong when it mattered most—again.
For the second-straight game, Memphis withstood a fourth-quarter rally by Oklahoma City and prevailed in overtime. Let’s set the stage.
Backup center Kosta Koufos put the Grizzlies ahead 81-64 at the 7:43 mark. Frustrated head coach Scott Brooks responded immediately with a timeout. Then, as if Brooks somehow said the magic words, the Thunder exploded by scoring the next 17 points, capped off by Russell Westbrook tying it up with 57 seconds remaining.
Then all dramatic hell broke lose.
A short jumper and layup by the usually defensive-minded Tony Allen regained the lead for Memphis at 85-81. But just seven seconds later, Westbrook matched his partner in crime with another miracle four-point play—two for the Thunder in two-straight games, to be sure.
Unfortunately for Oklahoma City, Kevin Durant’s seven overtime points could not overcome his earlier struggles. The smooth-shooting Courtney Lee sealed it for the Grizzlies with a trio of big-time free throws.
Five of Lee’s teammates joined him in the double-digit scoring department. Mike Conley led the way with 20 PTS, while Allen and Zach Randolph each added 16, not to mention Z-Bo’s team-high and point-guard-esque six assists (and 10 rebounds).
Unlike the efficient threesome of Allen, Conley and Marc Gasol (23-of-43), Durant, Westbrook and backup point man Reggie Jackson were an appalling 21-of-62. That included a combined 19 failed attempts from distance. Durant and Westbrook—the ever-tenuous duo in particular—each scored 30, but both needed at least 26 shots for that impressive, yet wholly inefficient aggregate.
This Western Conference series continues at the “Grind House” on Saturday at 9:30 PM ET.
Los Angeles 98, Golden State 96
Regardless of the vantage point, this was a bizarre conclusion to Thursday’s NBA showcase.
The Clippers eked one out against Golden State on a night when the home team couldn’t find its stroke until the final quarter. After reducing a gargantuan deficit of 18 points to 11 entering the fourth, the Warriors still faced an uphill battle.
They were an unprecedentedly awful 2-of-20 from distance through three quarters, and missed their first four by the time six more minutes ticked off the clock. Their best asset had transformed into their greatest liability.
But then the “Splash Brothers” happened.
Stephen Curry (three) and Klay Thompson (one) drilled a foursome of make-or-go-home threes in quick succession. Curry’s 27-footer with 11 seconds left reduced a once insurmountable Clippers lead to just one point. And better yet, the Association’s premier floor general had one last opportunity after his LA counterpart missed a free throw and kept the lead to 98-96.
Sadly for the “Dub Nation”-filled Oracle Arena, Chris Paul forced Curry into a tough step-back from distance. It fell short and the Clippers escaped with the “W.”
Impending third-place MVP Blake Griffin was once again unstoppable down low. He finished with 32 PTS and 8 REB on 15-of-25 shooting. DeAndre Jordan was an absolute monster on the glass with 22 boards (and 14 PTS), while Paul did his floor-general best with 15 PTS and 10 AST. Complementary sharpshooters J.J. Redick and Jamal Crawford both went 5-of-11 and combined for 27 PTS.
Curry (16 PTS, 15 AST) and Draymond Green (13 PTS, 11 REB) matched with two double-doubles of their own. Thompson’s team-high 26 PTS and 6 REB also was a nice addition to the box score. The same goes for a plus-five in the team-wide rebounding category without Andrew Bogut.
But an overall rate of 19.4 percent from three-point range—not to mention 66.7 percent from the line and 17 turnovers—doomed the Warriors.
Golden State hosts Game 4 on Sunday afternoon at 3:30 PM ET.
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