Allen scores 27, Bucks take 3-1 lead on Bulls
Bucks 119, Bulls 95: Grayson Allen set playoff career highs with 27 points and six 3-pointers, Giannis Antetokounmpo had 32 points and 17 rebounds and Milwaukee beat host Chicago on Sunday to take a 3-1 lead in their first-round series.
Jrue Holiday scored 26, and the Bucks made it look easy again after beating the Bulls by 30 and handing them the most lopsided home playoff loss in franchise history. The defending NBA champions led by 22 early in the third quarter and steadied themselves after a push by Chicago. They’ll try to wrap up the series in Milwaukee on Wednesday. Allen delivered another huge effort off the bench, surpassing his previous postseason scoring high of 22 points in Game 3. He made 10 of 12 shots and nailed 6 of 7 3s.
Holiday made five 3s. Bobby Portis added 14 points and 10 rebounds in his second straight start with Khris Middleton sidelined because of a sprained left knee.
Nuggets 126, Warriors 121: Nikola Jokic scored 37 points and fed Will Barton for a 3-pointer from the left corner with 8.3 seconds left, helping the host Denver Nuggets avoid a series sweep with a victory over the Golden State Warriors.
Monte Morris’ 7-footer broke a 121-all tie with 33.5 seconds left after the Nuggets blew a 17-point lead. Austin Rivers then stole Otto Porter Jr.’s pass.
Morris finished with 24 points. He hit five 3-pointers in the third quarter, the most in a quarter by any player in these NBA playoffs.
Steph Curry led the Warriors with 33 points. Klay Thompson scored 22 of his 32 points after picking up his fourth foul in the final second of the first half. Jordan Poole had 11 after averaging 27.8 in the first three games of the series.
The series shifts back to San Francisco for Game 5 on Wednesday night.
The Nuggets took a 98-89 lead into the fourth quarter, but fell behind 121119 on Curry’s jumper with just over a minute left.
Heat 110, Hawks 86: Jimmy Butler scored 13 of his 36 points in a dominant second quarter and the Miami Heat beat the Atlanta Hawks 110-86 on Sunday night to take a 3-1 series lead.
Miami can wrap up the first-round series in Game 5 on Tuesday night in Miami.
Atlanta’s Trae Young scored only nine points with five assists and five turnovers as he was shut down by Miami’s defense for the second time in four games. Young was held to eight points in Miami’s 115-91 Game 1 win.
Pelicans 118, Suns 103: Brandon Ingram scored 16 of his 30 points in the third quarter and host New Orleans beat Phoenix — playing without injured star Devin Booker — in Game 4 to tie the first-round series.
Jonas Valanciunas reasserted himself in the middle with 26 points and 15 rebounds for the Pelicans.
Booker strained his right straight after scoring 31 first-half points in the top-seeded Suns’ Game 2 loss. Deandre Ayton led the Suns with 23 points and eight rebounds.