Warriors and Bucks look to close out series at home
The Milwaukee Bucks want to build off the momentum from a thrilling comeback and the Golden State Warriors seek to put an embarrassing loss behind them as both teams attempt to clinch their second-round series.
Both own 3-2 lead in their respective series and are at home today for Game 6. The defending NBA champion Bucks rallied from a 14-point, fourthquarter deficit to win 110-107 at Boston on Wednesday night while the Warriors squandered an opportunity to close out their series by losing 134-95 at Memphis.
“At the end of the day, we can’t get too high from this,” Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo said after the Buck’ Game 5 victory. “Obviously, it’s great to win the game, great to go back home and feel good ourselves, but the job is not done.”
Although Milwaukee is savoring an emotional win and Golden State is coming off a blowout loss, the trends of these series indicate the Warriors should feel more comfortable going home.
The home-court advantage hasn’t meant much in the Bucks-Celtics series. The road team has won three of the five games, including each of the last two.
Through the first five games of the other three second-round series, home teams owned a 14-1 record. The Warriors are 2-0 at home against the Grizzlies after winning 142-112 in Game 3 and 101-98 in Game 4.
History suggests the lopsided nature of Golden State’s Game 5 loss shouldn’t have a carryover effect. The Warriors are the sixth team in the past 10 years to lose by at least 39 points in a playoff game that didn’t end a series. Four of the previous five losing teams won their next game.
“Well, it doesn’t feel good losing by as much as we did,” Warriors guard Klay Thompson said. “At the end of the day it is just a loss and you flush it from your mental and you remind yourselves who you are. You go in and play with 100% effort on Friday, and I like our chances.”
Grizzlies’ Kleiman named NBA executive of year
Memphis Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman has been named the NBA basketball executive of the year, the youngest ever to win the award.
Kleiman, 33, is the second executive with the Grizzlies to receive the honor. Jerry West won the award for the 200304 season while working with the Grizzlies. Kleiman became general manager and executive vice president of basketball operations in April 2019.
The Grizzlies GM received 16 of 29 first-place votes and earned 85 total points. Cleveland president Koby Altman and Chicago executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas tied for second. Phoenix general manager James Jones and Miami president Pat Riley tied for fourth.
Kleiman put together the roster that had the NBA’s second-best record at 5626, tying the franchise record for wins in a single season. The Grizzlies’ No. 2 seed in the Western Conference is the highest in franchise history.
Grizzlies guard Ja Morant started the All-Star Game and won the Most Improved Player Award. Taylor Jenkins finished second in voting for coach of the year. Kleiman hired Jenkins in 2019 and later drafted Morant with the No. 2 pick overall.