Giannis shows way for Bucks
Reigning MVP helps give No. 1 East seed series lead
high level to have a chance. They’re a great team. We have to play at a very high level to have a chance. Today we didn’t give ourselves a chance at all, and they really brought it.”
Heat take 3-0 lead: Jimmy Butler scored 27 points and the Heat held off a furious rally to beat the Pacers 124-115 day to take a 3-0 lead in their Eastern Conference series.
Goran Dragic added 24 points, Bam Adebayo had 22 points and 11 rebounds, and Tyler Herro scored 20 points for the fifth-seeded Heat. They can sweep the series Monday.
Malcolm Brogdon set career playoff highs with 34 points and 14 assists for the fourthseeded Pacers. T.J. Warren scored 23 points, and Victor Oladipo added 20.
Dragic spun through the Pacers and made a layup as time expired in the second quarter to put the Heat up 74-56.
The Heat made 11 3-pointers in the highestscoring half in franchise playoff history.
The Pacers cut it to two points three times in the fourth quarter.
Doncic game-time decision: The Mavericks will work around the clock on Luka Doncic, hoping he can be healthy enough to play Sunday.
The 21-year-old All-Star guard and former rookie of the year sprained his left ankle in the third quarter of the seventh-seeded Mavericks’ 130-122 loss to the second-seeded Clippers on Friday night. He came back in the fourth but wasn’t moving well and eventually left for good.
The Mavericks were planning on an MRI exam for Doncic.
Coach Rick Carlisle said Doncic would likely be a game-time decision.
The Mavericks beat the Clippers in Game 2 of the Western Conferene series on Wednesday even though Doncic was saddled with foul trouble. Losing the NBA’s triple-double leader for an entire game would be much tougher.
The Clippers lead the series 2-1.