In the NBA playoffs, Miami qualified for the second round and Phoenix advanced again against New Orleans. But last night’s starring role was for Ja Morant, the new NBA darling. The Memphis coiler scored an insane goal against Minnesota and also sealed the match with a kick in the last seconds.
It’s no longer a secret for those in the know: Ja Morant is one of the hottest players in the new generation of NBA stars. The 1.91m goalkeeper proved it again last night.
In the fifth game between Memphis and Minnesota, Morant once again returned to the lead. After an early start to the match, he blew up the room at the end of the third quarter with a crazy dunk on Timberwolves player Malik Beasley.
Morant went wild in the fourth quarter. The playmaker made the final 11 points for the Grizzlies, including a decisive throw in the final seconds of the match. Memphis won the nail clipping with 111-109.
“We had to fight hard,” Memphis’ Brandon Clark said after the win. “Thank God we have Ja Morant and he’s so good.”
The Grizzlies now lead the series 3-2, and whoever wins 4x first advances to the second round. The sixth game will be held in Minnesota. If it comes to the deciding seventh game, Memphis has the ground advantage again.
Ja Morant Winner:
Miami counts on Atlanta all the way
Miami qualified for the second round in the Eastern Conference. The Heat defeated Atlanta for the fourth time in five games: 97-94.
Miami missed playmaker Kerry Lowery for the second game in a row with a hamstring injury, and top scorer Jimmy Butler missed out with knee issues, but that doesn’t seem to bother the East’s top seed.
Substitute Victor Oladipo took on Butler as the finalist and was good at scoring 23 points, signing Pam Adebayo for 20. The Atlanta star, Trae Young, was once again in the grips of Miami’s strong defense and was stuck at 11 points.
Phoenix needs another win
Phoenix, the top seed in the Western Region and best team of the regular season, is about to enter the second round. Last season’s losing finalist defeated New Orleans 112-97 last night and needs one more win to advance to the next round.
In the fifth showdown with New Orleans, the Suns missed their top scorer Devin Booker, who is suffering from a hamstring injury. Very strong Michael Bridges was Phoenix’s top scorer last night with 31 points. Playmaker Chris Paul is also back on schedule after a pale fourth game, with 22 points and 11 assists.
Phoenix now has two chances to finish it. On Thursday, Game Six will take place in New Orleans, and a possible seventh game will be again in Phoenix.
Tuesday’s results:
- Miami – Atlanta 97-94
- Memphis – MN 111-109
- Phoenix – New Orleans 112-97
Qualifying standings:
| First round (best of 7) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Eastern Conference | ||
| Miami Heat (1) | Atlanta Hawks (8) | 4-1 |
| Philadelphia 76’s (4) | Toronto Raptors (5) | 3-2 |
| Milwaukee Bucks (3) | Chicago Bulls (6) | 3-1 |
| Boston Celtics (2) | Brooklyn Nets (7) | 4-0 |
| Western Conference | ||
| Phoenix Suns (1) | New Orleans Pelicans (8) | 3-2 |
| Dallas Mavericks (4) | Utah Jazz (5) | 3-2 |
| Golden State Warriors (3) | Denver Nuggets (6) | 3-1 |
| Memphis Grizzlies (2) | Minnesota Timberwolves (7) | 3-2 |
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