FISM News

NBA Highlights: Heat, Knicks advance; Grizzlies, Warriors stay alive with win

by Jacob Fuller

Rob Issa, FISM News

Another exceptional performance by Jimmy Butler knocked Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks out of the playoffs.

Butler scored 42 points and the Miami Heat rallied from a 16-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat the Bucks 128-126 in overtime in Game 5 to wrap up their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series Wednesday night.

The Heat became the sixth No. 8 seed to beat a No. 1 seed in the first round thanks to back-to-back spectacular games from Butler, who scored 56 points in Game 4.

Miami takes on the New York Knicks in the second round. The Knicks advanced with a 106-95 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers earlier in the night.

Butler sent the game to overtime when he scored while falling down after catching an inbounds pass right before the buzzer ended regulation.

“He competes to win and is desperate and urgent and maniacal and sometimes psychotic about the will to win,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said of Butler.

Bam Adebayo had 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists and Gabe Vincent added 22 points for the Heat.

Antetokounmpo, the two-time NBA MVP, had 38 points and 20 rebounds but he missed 13 of 23 free throws. Khris Middleton added 33 points for the Bucks, who became the first No. 1 seed to lose to an eighth-seeded team since the Chicago Bulls lost to the Philadelphia 76ers in 2012.

KNICKS ADVANCE WITH RARE PLAYOFF SERIES WIN

In Cleveland, Jalen Brunson scored 23 points and RJ Barrett added 21 to help the Knicks eliminate the Cavaliers in five games. New York advances for only the second time in 23 years.

The fifth-seeded Knicks will have home-court advantage at Madison Square Garden against the Heat.

“The tradition of the Knicks, not only what it means to the city and the league,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “We have the best fans, best city, best arena. They respond to the way this team plays. It plays hard. It plays smart and it plays together.”

Donovan Mitchell scored 28 points and Darius Garland 21 for Cleveland. The Cavaliers won 51 games during the regular season but managed only one victory in their first playoff series in five years.

“For it to end this way, it doesn’t feel right,” Mitchell said. “They outplayed us. It’s as simple as that. They did their job and we didn’t. For me, personally, I don’t feel like I was the player I needed to be for this group. I just didn’t deliver.”

WARRIORS TAKE SERIES LEAD

In Sacramento, Stephen Curry scored 31 points, Draymond Green had 21 and the Golden State Warriors beat the Kings 123-116 to take a 3-2 series lead.

After becoming the first team to win a road game in the series, the Warriors can wrap up the series and knock out the No. 2 seed Kings with a win in Game 6 on Friday night.

The Warriors had four players score at least 20 points as Klay Thompson added 25 points and Andrew Wiggins had 20. Kevon Looney matched his career-high with 22 rebounds for Golden State.

GRIZZLIES LIVE TO PLAY ANOTHER GAME

In Memphis, Desmond Bane scored 33 points and Ja Morant added 31 points to help the Grizzlies avoid elimination with a 116-99 victory over LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Grizzlies trail the Lakers 3-2 in their first-round Western Conference. Game 6 is back in Los Angeles on Friday night.

James had 15 points and 10 rebounds and Anthony Davis led the Lakers with 31 points and 19 rebounds.

“We are going to be back for a Game 7 in front of the best fans in the NBA,” Bane said, predicting a win over the Lakers in the next game.

The Grizzlies have lost three games to the Lakers on the road this season.

“I’ll take care of the body,” James said. “Try to get as much sleep as I can. Seeing how fast the body can recover and get ready for Friday.”

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