Doncic, Mavs handle Suns, even series 2-2
Mavericks 111, Suns 101: Luka Doncic scored 26 points and the host Dallas Mavericks took advantage of foul trouble for Chris Paul to beat the Phoenix Suns on Sunday, evening the Western Conference semifinal series at 2-2.
Paul was out of Game 4 early in the fourth quarter, the period when he often dominated the Mavericks during an 11-game winning streak that ended with consecutive home victories for Dallas. Game 5 is Tuesday night in Phoenix.
Dorian Finney-smith scored a playoff career-high 24 points on the most 3pointers he’s had, regular season or playoffs. He was 8 of 12 from deep, including consecutive 3s for a 14-point lead midway through the fourth.
Dallas matched its 20 3s (20 of 44) from a Mother’s Day rout of the Los Angeles Lakers in 2011, a win that completed on a four-game sweep in the second round on the way to the championship. The Mavericks are playing beyond the first round for the first time since then.
Devin Booker scored 35 points for the Suns, who dropped two straight on road with a 2-0 lead just as they did in last year’s NBA Finals. Milwaukee won the last four to take the title. Top-seeded Phoenix lost consecutive games for the first time in the playoffs.
Turnovers were the story with Paul in Dallas’ Game 3 win, when the 37year-old had the most in any half for his playoff career with seven before halftime.
This time it was fouls, and it started when coach Monty Williams put him back in the game with three in the final minute of the first half. Paul picked up his fourth just before the halftime buzzer when he tried to rebound his own miss and bumped Doncic.
76ers 116, Heat 108: James Harden scored 31 points, Joel Embiid had 24 points and 11 rebounds and host Philadelphia beat Miami to even the Eastern Conference semifinal series.
The Heat won the first two games in
Miami with Embiid out with a right orbital fracture and mild concussion. The 76ers won Games 3 and 4 at home with Embiid and his mask in the lineup. Game 5 is Tuesday night in Miami. Embiid is ready. So is Harden. And if the Heat can’t figure out those two, the next thing they face could be the offseason.
The Heat pecked away at the lead and got within five until Harden sank his fifth 3-pointer of the game with three minutes left.
Harden crushed the Heat on catchand-shoot 3s and hit one clutch shot after another in the fourth.
He at last played in the postseason like the three-time scoring champion the Sixers needed when they traded for him in February.
Harden drilled a step-back 3 for a 114-103 lead that sent the crowd into a frenzy — and the Sixers off to Miami with new life.
Jimmy Butler scored 40 points and nearly one-man willed the Heat to victory. The Heat missed 28 of 35 3-pointers.