Iguodala: physical play style ‘works in our favor’
to get the ball to Paul to be able to get the shot to win the game,” he said. “I got the ball at four (seconds), so I had to take it myself. I got a good shot. I just didn’t make it.”
James said the Cavs’ plan on the final play was not to let George beat them.
“We wanted to get the ball out of his hands, make somebody else try to beat us and live with the results,” he said.
added 23 points and had 17 for Cleveland, which has won 12 straight playoff games at home.
George scored 29 points and had 16 for the seventh-seeded Pacers, who will try to even the series on Monday night.
Cleveland had several bad offensive possessions down the stretch and the Cavs went only 14 of 27 from the free-throw line.
After dropping their last four and going 10-14 since March 1, the Cavs entered the postseason appearing very vulnerable. It’s too soon to say whether they have their act together, but for three quarters they looked more like a team capable of reaching its third straight Finals.
Antetokounmpo, Bucks top 3-seed Raptors
rookie had 16 and the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Toronto Raptors 97-83 on Saturday in Game 1 of their firstround playoff series.
Playing his second career playoff series, Antetekounmpo made 13 of 18 shots, and added eight rebounds and three assists. added 14 points, had 11, and finished with 10 points and nine assists.
led Toronto with 27 points, and
had 19 points and 14 rebounds. The Raptors have lost the opening game in eight consecutive playoff series.
Toronto’s made only two of 11 field-goal attempts, missing all six 3-point efforts, and finished with four points.
had nine points and nine rebounds.
Game 2 is Tuesday night in Toronto.
Antetekounmpo picked up his fourth foul with 4:33 left in the third and headed to the bench as Toronto’s
was making two free throws to break a 64-all tie.
Without Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee closed the quarter on an 11-5 run to take a 75-70 lead into the fourth.
Milwaukee kept it going after Antetokounmpo returned for the final quarter.
FROM WIRE REPORTS
Playoff games bring a more intensified atmosphere than regular-season games. That often breeds more focused, physical defensive play as the stakes grow higher.
Against the Warriors, who are built on skill and shooting, that’s regularly the opposing gameplan: knock them off their spot, shove them around, toss them off their game even if that means a few extra foul calls. Will that negatively affect Golden State in the playoffs? a physical defender himself, doesn’t think so.
“Are they going to call it loose or call it tight?” Iguodala said. “You just have to gauge how it goes in the first quarter. But I feel like for us, guys are always grappling and holding (even in the regular season). gets grabbed and held more than anybody I’ve seen and they get away with it. It’s almost like we’re used to it. It’s kind of like we finally have the opportunity to be just as aggressive and I feel like it works in our favor.”
Iguodala then went back to his point about Curry, who he says is defended differently than many players across the league and he must “be smart” about dealing with that.
Isaiah Thomas’ sister killed in car crash
NBA star sister has died in a one-car accident.
The Washington State Patrol said Saturday that 22-year-old died at the scene on Interstate 5 in Federal Way after the accident about 5 a.m. The police report said she wasn’t wearing a seat belt.
“We are terribly saddened by the tragic loss of Chyna Thomas,” the Celtics said in a statement. “The thoughts and prayers of the entire Celtics organization are with Isaiah and his family.”
FROM WIRE REPORTS