The Boston Celtics have built a good position in the play-offs despite trailing by 17 points at one stage, leading 2-0 against the Brooklyn Nets. The Philadelphia 76ers, meanwhile, are just one win away from advancing to the play-offs.
Celtics hold Durant in check
DB national player Daniel Theis played a big part in the 114-107 win on Wednesday night (local time) with 15 points and very strong defensive work. In the second home game, the hosts needed until well into the last quarter for their first lead of their own at 94-92 after trailing by a large margin, but then did not let the Nets around Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving come back.
Durant had great difficulty with the aggressiveness of the defence and hit only four of his 17 attempts from the field. In the second half, he scored all his points with free throws. The Nets’ best player was nevertheless the most successful thrower of the game in the end with 27 points.
Irving did not have a particularly good evening either and also only scored four times in the game. The Australian-born Muslim left the interior briefly in the first quarter and returned from the dressing room with a banana and more food. Irving is fasting during Ramadan and only eats after sunset and before sunrise.
The next two games in the play-off series are now in Brooklyn. Whoever has four wins first will advance to the next round of the last eight teams.
Embiid makes Philadelphia’s third win perfect
After a strong performance in Toronto, the Philadelphia 76ers need just one more win to advance to the second round. Against the Raptors, the favourites saved themselves for overtime without having led once in regulation time. Just 0.9 seconds before the end of the extra five minutes, Joel Embiid hit a remarkable shot to make it 104-101 for the 76ers and complete the third win in the series. Isaac Bonga did not make an appearance for the Raptors.
Thanks to DeRozan: Bulls take game two against the Bucks – worries about Middleton
Defending champion Milwaukee Bucks conceded the series opener against the Chicago Bulls. After the win in the opener there was a 110:114, the outstanding man was Bulls pro DeMar DeRozan with 41 points. For the 32-year-old Californian, this represented a new career-best in the play-offs. His good performance was flanked by important throws hit by Nikola Vucevic and Zach LaVine. For the Bucks, Giannis Antetokounmpo just missed a triple-double.
Defending champions Milwaukee, meanwhile, are worried about Khris Middleton. The forward injured his knee while turning in the final quarter and, according to an initial diagnosis, suffered severe ligament sprains that could keep him out of action for up to four weeks, depending on the severity. This makes it unlikely that the 2021 Olympic champion will be on the floor in game three.
