The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)

NBA playoff roundup

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• Anthony Davis scored 33 of his franchise playoffrec­ord 47 points in the second half, and the host Pelicans completed a first-round playoff sweep of the Portland Trail Blazers, 131-123.

Jrue Holiday capped his 41-point performanc­e with an 18-foot pull-up jumper that gave the Pelicans a six-point lead with 40 seconds left. Rajon Rondo added 16 assists, and Davis also had 11 rebounds and three blocks for New Orleans, which is moving on to the second round of the playoffs for only the second time since the NBA returned to the city 16 seasons ago.

C.J. McCollum scored 38 for the Trail Blazers, which responded to a blowout loss in Game 3 by keeping Game 4 close until the final minute. Al-Farouq Aminu scored 27, Damian Lillard added 19 points and Jusuf Nurkic had 18 points and 11 rebounds before fouling out.

• Jimmy Butler hit four 3-pointers among his 28 points and Karl-Anthony Towns snapped back from a bad start to the series with 18 points and 16 rebounds, leading the host Timberwolv­es past the Rockets, 121-105, for their first postseason victory in 14 years.

Jeff Teague scored 23 points and Andrew Wiggins pitched in 20 points with another four 3-pointers, helping the Timberwolv­es match the fire-away Rockets from behind the arc and cruise down the stretch behind a 50 percent shooting performanc­e.

Derrick Rose added 17 points off the bench for the Wolves, who will try to even the series with a win in Game 4 on Monday night.

James Harden led the way for Houston with 29 points, but Chris Paul fouled out with 17 points and the Rockets went just 15 for 41 from 3-point range.

• Ben Simmons had the first playoff triple-double by a rookie in nearly 40 years, JJ Redick scored 24 points and the visiting 76ers outlasted the Heat, 106-102, to move within a victory of the second round.

The 76ers lead the Eastern Conference series 3-1 and can close out the Heat when play resumes in Philadelph­ia on April 24.

Simmons became the first rookie since Magic Johnson in 1980 to post a playoff triple-double — 17 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists. Joel Embiid finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds for Philadelph­ia.

 ?? SCOTT THRELKELD — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ?? The Pelicans’ Anthony Davis battles under the basket against Trail Blazers forward Al-Farouq Aminu on April 21 in New Orleans.
SCOTT THRELKELD — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS The Pelicans’ Anthony Davis battles under the basket against Trail Blazers forward Al-Farouq Aminu on April 21 in New Orleans.

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