The memphis grizzlies of Ja Morant defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves this Friday at home 114-106 (with Leandro Bolmaro on the bench) and settled 4-2 this series of playoffs of the NBAquoting in the next phase with the Golden State Warriors.
The first round of the playoffs was concluded with the classification of the Grizzlies, second seed in the Western Conference. Beginning on Sunday, Memphis will face the Golden State Warriors in a Western semi-final in a fast-paced generational battle between young Ja Morant and Stephen Curry. The other semifinal of the West will face the Phoenix Suns, current runners-up, and Luka Doncic’s Dallas Mavericks. In the East, the Miami Heat will collide with the Philadelphia 76ers and the Boston Celtics with the Milwaukee Bucks, defenders of the ring.
The Conference semifinals in the NBA were defined.
This Friday, the Grizzlies emerged victorious for the first time in a playoff series since the 2014-15 season thanks to a new final comeback that frustrated the fans at the Target Center in Minneapolis. Memphis entered the last quarter with a 10-point deficit (74-84) but in the decisive moments they took advantage of the lack of experience of the Timberwolves, a team that entered the playoffs in the playoffs and was only participating in its second preseason in the last 18 years. The Grizzlies are the only team in history to come from behind three times in a series from double-digit deficits entering the fourth quarter.
The match
The Grizzlies did not need the best version of Morant, their great leader and starter in the last All-Star. The point guard finished with 17 points and 11 assists while forwards Desmond Bane and Dillon Brooks scored 23 points apiece. Power forward Jaren Jackson Jr. also shone with 18 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks.
For the locals, the young phenomenon Anthony Edwards led the Minnesota offense with 30 points, accompanied by the Dominican-American Karl-Anthony Towns, who had 18 points and ten rebounds. At 20 years old, Edwards has established himself in this series as one of the great jewels of the future of the league, averaging 25.2 points, 3.8 triples and 4.2 rebounds per game. Instead D’Angelo Russell, the third sword of Minnesota, stayed at 7 points and saw the final minutes from the bench.
In a playoff riddled with young, inexperienced talent, the Timberwolves ended up paying for both their poor decisions in the crunch and their rebounding weakness, allowing the Grizzlies 19 more sacks in the game, 11 of them offensive.
The program of the conference semifinals
— EASTERN CONFERENCE
– Miami Heat (1st seed) vs Philadelphia 76ers (4)
Monday, May 2: Heat – Sixers
Wednesday, May 4: Heat – Sixers
Friday May 6: Sixers – Heat
Sunday May 8: Sixers – Heat
Tuesday, May 10: Heat – Sixers (if necessary)
Thursday, May 12: Sixers – Heat (if necessary)
Sunday, May 15: Heat – Sixers (if necessary)
– Boston Celtics (2) vs. Milwaukee Bucks (3)
Sunday May 1: Celtics – Bucks
Tuesday, May 3: Celtics – Bucks
Saturday May 7: Bucks – Celtics
Monday May 9: Bucks – Celtics
Wednesday, May 11: Celtics – Bucks (if necessary)
Friday May 13: Bucks – Celtics (if necessary)
Sunday May 15: Celtics – Bucks (if necessary)
— WESTERN CONFERENCE
– Phoenix Suns (1) vs. Dallas Mavericks (4)
Monday, May 2: Suns – Mavericks
Wednesday, May 4: Suns – Mavericks
Friday May 6: Mavericks – Suns
Sunday May 8: Mavericks – Suns
Tuesday, May 10: Suns – Mavericks (if necessary)
Thursday, May 12: Mavericks – Suns (if necessary)
Sunday, May 15: Suns – Mavericks (if necessary)
– Memphis Grizzlies (2) vs. Golden State Warriors (3)
Sunday May 1: Grizzlies – Warriors
Tuesday, May 3: Grizzlies – Warriors
Saturday May 7: Warriors – Grizzlies
Monday, May 9: Warriors – Grizzlies
Wednesday, May 11: Grizzlies – Warriors (if necessary)
Friday May 13: Warriors – Grizzlies (if necessary)
​Monday, May 16: Grizzlies – Warriors (if necessary)
The results
— EASTERN CONFERENCE
– Miami Heat (1) vs. Atlanta Hawks (8) (The Heat won the series 4-1)
Sunday, April 17: Heat – Hawks 115-91
Tuesday, April 19: Heat – Hawks 115-105
Friday, April 22: Hawks – Heat 111-110
Sunday April 24: Hawks – Heat 86-110
Tuesday, April 26: Heat – Hawks 97-94
– Boston Celtics (2) vs. Brooklyn Nets (7) (The Celtics won the series 4-0)
Sunday, April 17: Celtics – Nets 115-114
Wednesday, April 20: Celtics – Nets 114-107
Saturday April 23: Nets – Celtics 103-109
Monday, April 25: Nets – Celtics 112-116
– Milwaukee Bucks (3) vs. Chicago Bulls (6) (The Bucks won the series 4-1)
Sunday April 17: Bucks – Bulls 93-86
Wednesday, April 20: Bucks – Bulls 110-114
Friday April 22: Bulls – Bucks 81-111
Sunday April 24: Bulls – Bucks 95-119
Wednesday, April 27: Bucks – Bulls 116-100
– Philadelphia 76ers (4) vs Toronto Raptors (5) (The Sixers won the series 4-2)
Saturday April 16: Sixers – Raptors 131-111
Monday, April 18: Sixers – Raptors 112-97
Wednesday, April 20: Raptors – Sixers 101-104
Saturday April 23: Raptors – Sixers 110-102
Monday, April 25: Sixers – Raptors 88-103
Thursday, April 28: Raptors – Sixers 97-132
— WESTERN CONFERENCE
– Phoenix Suns (1) vs. New Orleans Pelicans (8) (The Suns won the series 4-2)
Sunday, April 17: Suns – Pelicans 110-99
Tuesday, April 19: Suns – Pelicans 114-125
Friday, April 22: Pelicans – Suns 111-114
Sunday, April 24: Pelicans – Suns 118-103
Tuesday, April 26: Suns – Pelicans 112-97
Thursday, April 28: Pelicans – Suns 109-115
– Memphis Grizzlies (2) vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (7) (Grizzlies won series 4-2)
Saturday April 16: Grizzlies – Timberwolves 117-130
Tuesday, April 19: Grizzlies – Timberwolves 124-96
Thursday, April 21: Timberwolves – Grizzlies 95-104
Saturday April 23: Timberwolves – Grizzlies 119-118
Tuesday, April 26: Grizzlies – Timberwolves 111-109
Friday, April 29: Timberwolves 106 – Grizzlies 114
– Golden State Warriors (3) vs. Denver Nuggets (6) (The Warriors won the series 4-1)
Saturday April 16: Warriors – Nuggets 123-107
Monday, April 18: Warriors – Nuggets 126-106
Thursday, April 21: Nuggets – Warriors 113-118
Sunday, April 24: Nuggets – Warriors 126-121
Wednesday, April 27: Warriors – Nuggets 102-98
– Dallas Mavericks (4) vs. Utah Jazz (5) (The Mavericks won the series 4-2)
Saturday April 16: Mavericks – Jazz 93-99
Monday, April 18: Mavericks – Jazz 110-104
Thursday, April 21: Jazz – Mavericks 118-126
Saturday April 23: Jazz – Mavericks 100-99
Monday, April 25: Mavericks – Jazz 102-77
Thursday, April 28: Jazz – Mavericks 96-98
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NBA Playoffs: Memphis eliminated a Minnesota without Bolmaro and the eight classified are already