Boston Celtics vs Miami Heat - Game 4
Final Score
The Boston Celtics squared off with the Miami Heat for their Game 4 bout in South Beach. Boston walked away victorious, with the final score standing at 102-88 in their favor. This win extended their series lead to 3-1, heading back home to potentially close the series out comfortably in Game 5.
Top Performers From the Celtics
Derrick White had himself an absolutely monstrous game, exploding for 38 points on shooting splits of 58% from the field and 53% from the 3-point line. He also added 4 rebounds, 3 dimes, and 3 blocks to that stat line. Derrick was on fire and his teammates knew it, ending the night having taken (26) almost double the number of shots that superstar Jayson Tatum attempted (14).
Top Performers From the Heat
Bam Adebayo ran the show for Miami, finishing the night with a stat line of 25 points, 17 rebounds, and 5 assists despite the loss. He shot 50% from the field, 33% from three, and 67% from the charity stripe. Bam has needed to step up in the absence of Jimmy Butler this series, and despite his efforts the team has not managed to find a reliable approach to dismantling this juggernaut Celtics squad.
OKC Thunder vs NO Pelicans - Game 4
Final Score
The Oklahoma City Thunder completed a sweep of the New Orleans Pelicans, winning both games at home and both games away. Game 4 ended with a final score of 97-89 in OKC’s favor. The young and talented Thunder squad has found themselves entering the second round of the playoffs, and will face the winner of the Clippers vs Mavericks series that is currently sat at two games a piece. Despite their playoff inexperience, the Thunder roster has managed to remain consistent and efficient in their collective output, resulting in many wins for the side.
Top Performers From the Thunder
Oklahoma City’s win was quite balanced, with all their starters scoring in double digits. This squad has found success in their well-orchestrated and well-coached approach to playing great team basketball. However, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams led the squad with 24 points each and filled the stat sheet adding 18 rebounds and 7 assists together. The Thunder have cruised through this first round, and it will be exciting to see what comes next for them this postseason.
Top Performers From the Pelicans
CJ McCollum led the Pelicans’ dying effort to stay alive in this series, scoring 20 points and shooting 56% from the field. He added 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block to his box score. In reality, the Pelicans just got outplayed this series through and through, and the absence of Zion Williamson definitely did not help with their chances at making the series close at best.
Denver Nuggets vs LA Lakers - Game 5
Final Score
We all got the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers rematch series that we wanted. Unfortunately for LA, the Nuggets walked away from this one in five games, closing the series out with Game 5 ending at 108-106. Jokić and company closed out the series at home, ending the Lakers’ hopeful attempt at a historic 3-0 comeback.
Top Performers From the Nuggets
He’s done it again. Jamal Murray activated takeover late in the fourth to send LA packing with another game winner to seal the deal. He finished the night with 32 points, 7 assists, 3 rebounds, and 1 steal. It helped tremendously that the Joker dropped an unreal stat line of 25 points, 20 rebounds, and 9 assists. The Nuggets have once again reminded the basketball world exactly why they are to be considered the favorites for the NBA title.
Top Performers From the Lakers
LeBron James and Anthony Davis continued their streak of leading the Lakers by a large margin. LeBron finished the night with 30 points, 11 assists, 9 rebounds, and 4 steals. He shot 52% from the field and 43% from the 3-point line. Davis added his own 17 points, 15 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks, shooting 73% from the field. With Rui Hachimura, D’Angelo Russell, and Austin Reaves all scoring in double digits too, the Lakers fought to the very end but eventually lost the game in the dying seconds, ending their season altogether.
