However, the Houston basketball players avoided the ‘broom’, elimination in the first round of the NBA playoffs without a win, after beating the Los Angeles Lakers 115-96 at home.
Houston is the team reduced the overall lead club from Los Angeles to 3-1, but the series now moves to the west of the USA where the Lakers will have a second match ball in front of their fans.
It is also a fact that no one in the history of the NBA playoffs he did not celebrate turning 0-3 in the series.
Although again without the injured Kevin Durant Houston finally played a solid game in the series. In the first part, he had a ten-point advantage several times, and when the host ran away in the middle of the third quarter with a 20-point difference, the game was decided.
Amen Thompson scored 23 points for Houston, and had seven assists and four rebounds. Tari Eason added 20 points with five steals and eight rebounds, and Turkey’s Alperen Sengun added 19 points and six rebounds. Reed Sheppard scored 17 points on 4-7 three-pointers.
It’s with the Lakers Deandre Ayton scored 19 points with 10 rebounds, but was ejected during the third quarter after elbowing Sengun in the head. Rui Hachimura scored 13 and LeBron James 10 points with nine assists.
The visitors hit only five out of 22 three-pointers.
Boston did an exceptionally convincing guest appearance in Philadelphia where he won 128-96 and took a 3-1 lead in the series. Ahead of this matchup, Philadelphia was encouraged by the recovery from injury and the return of Joel Embiid, but the presence of the best home player did nothing to help against Boston.
The first quarter already set the tone for the rest of the match. The visitors took a 34-18 lead after 12 minutes of play and continued to increase their lead until the end.
Boston’s first scorer was Payton Pritchard who scored 32 points on 6-12 three-pointers. He added five assists. Jayson Tatum was also excellent with 30 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds, while Jaylen Brown added 20 points with seven rebounds.
A returnee Embiid scored 26 points with 10 rebounds and six assists. Tyrese Maxey scored 22 points with six assists, and Paul George had 16 points with four rebounds and three steals.
NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs, First Round (Fourth Games):
Philadelphia – Boston 96-128 (Boston leads 3-1 in the series)
Western Conference:
Houston – LA Lakers 115-96 (LA Lakers lead 3-1 in the series)
Portland – San Antonio 93-114 (San Antonio leads the series 3-1)
(Hina | Photo: Houston Rockets)
