Grizzlies knock out Blazers
Marc Gasol had 26 points and 14 rebounds as the Memphis Grizzlies advanced to the Western Conference semifinals by defeating the Portland Trail Blazers, 99-93, on Wednesday night in Memphis, Tenn.
The Grizzlies reached the West semifinals for the third time in five years. They will play Game 1 on Sunday at Golden State.
Memphis closed out Portland in five games despite not having point guard Mike Conley for a second consecutive game as he recovers from surgery to repair broken bones near his left eye.
Courtney Lee added 20 points for Memphis, Zach Randolph had 16 and Jeff Green added 10 off the bench.
C.J. McCollum led Portland with a career-high 33 points. Damian Lillard had 22 points, and LaMarcus Aldridge had 14 before fouling out late. The Trail Blazers lost in the first round for the seventh time in their last eight postseasons.
at Atlanta 107, Brooklyn 97: Al Horford and Jeff Teague scored 20 points apiece, helping the topseeded Hawks hold off the Nets to take a 3-2 lead in a series that’s closer than anyone envisioned.
Shaking off a dislocated finger, Horford flew around the court in the fourth quarter when it looked like Brooklyn was on the verge of bouncing all the way back from an early 17-point deficit. In the final minute, Teague darted into the lane for a couple of baskets that sealed another hard-fought victory.
The Hawks can wrap it up in Game 6 on Friday in Brooklyn, but the eighthseeded Nets seem intent on taking it to the limit.
Alan Anderson led the Nets with 23 points off the bench. Jarrett Jack added 18 as the Brooklyn backups outscored Atlanta’s reserves, 41-16.
DeMarre Carroll scored 24 points, pushing the Hawks out to a big lead. But the Nets, as they did in each of the first two games in Atlanta, came back to make it another close one.