Giannis’ triple-double lifts Bucks past Celtics
Bucks 101, Celtics 89: Giannis Antetokounmpo had already picked up his dribble and spent half of a Eurostep when he realized he had nowhere to go with the ball.
Instead of attempting an off-balance shot or passing the ball to a well-guarded teammate, the two-time NBA MVP flicked the ball high off the backboard, then followed it to the rim for a slam dunk.
“That’s just pure talent, just pure instinct,” Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said on Sunday after Antetokounmpo recorded his second career postseason triple-double in a victory over the host Boston Celtics.
“He’s a great player. He does things that are unique and special and timely,” Budenholzer said. “That’s one of those plays where you’re happy he’s on our side.”
Antetokounmpo had 24 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists as Milwaukee quickly grabbed home-court advantage in the second-round series. Jrue Holiday had 25 points and 10 rebounds and Bobby Portis had 15 points and 11 boards for the defending NBA champions.
Game 2 is Tuesday night in Boston. Warriors 117, Grizzlies 116: Klay Thompson hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 36 seconds left, and the Golden State Warriors overcame Draymond Green’s first-half ejection to edge the host Memphis Grizzlies in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals.
Jordan Poole led the Warriors with 31 points off the bench, hitting 5 of 10 3pointers. Stephen Curry added 24 points, Andrew Wiggins had 17 and Thompson finished with 15.
Green was ejected for a flagrant foul just before halftime.
Thompson missed both free throws with 6.7 seconds left, then Memphis won a jump ball before taking a timeout with 3.6 seconds remaining to set up the final play. The Grizzlies ran a play similar to Ja Morant’s last-second layup to win Game 5 in the first round, but Morant’s layup went over the rim.
Morant finished with 34 points and 10 assists, and Jaren Jackson Jr. matched his season high with six 3pointers and had a career-high 33 points as Memphis’ first pair of teammates to score at least 30 in a playoff game. D’Anthony Melton added 14, and Brandon Clarke had 12.
The Grizzlies finished their firstround series by coming back from double-digit deficits in their final three wins – the first team in NBA history to do that more than once in a postseason, let alone a series. They came in leading the NBA in the fourth with an average of 33 points and outscoring opponents by 10.3 points a game.
This time, they could only match the Warriors point for point in the period.
Memphis edged the Warriors out for the No. 2 seed in the West by tying the franchise record with 56 wins, and the Grizzlies also took three of four in their season series. Thompson only played one and Green two of those games and Curry three.