NBA Playoffs on Sling TV: Miami at Toronto, Portland at Golden State
#3 Miami Heat vs. #2 Toronto Raptors, Series tied 2-2 (8pm ET Wednesday, TNT)
For the third time in four games, the Heat and Raptors had to go to OT to decide the winner, with Miami again coming out on top, this time by a score of 94-87. The Heat had to climb their way out of a 9-point hole midway through the fourth quarter, as Dwayne Wade scored 9 down the stretch, including the layup with 12 seconds to play that sent the game into overtime.
Wade led all scorers with 30, but was so tired by the end of regulation that he would afterward confess to mainly being a decoy in OT, though he did throw down a dunk for the final 2 points of the game. The Raptors were a disaster in overtime getting off just 6 shots while making 5 turnovers.
Two days after having his first good game of the postseason, Kyle Lowry again struggled, making just 2 of 11, including 0 of 6 from downtown, on his way to a 10-point night, though he did have 7 rebounds, 9 assists, and 4 steals – oh, and 4 turnovers. He’s now shooting just 33% in the playoffs. DeMar DeRozan, too, had a tough go of it, hitting on just 4 of 17 for 9 points, with as many turnovers, 3, as rebounds, and 0 assists.
For the series, the Heat are outscoring the Raptors 94.8 to 93.5 – one can’t help but think this one might already be over if Chris Bosh were healthy.
Watch the Miami Heat vs. the Toronto Raptors at 8pm ET Wednesday on TNT.
#5 Portland Trail Blazers vs. #1 Golden State Warriors, GSW leads series 3-1 (10:30pm ET Wednesday, TNT)
Looks like Steph Curry’s gonna be OK.
Curry came off the bench Monday to lead all scorers with 40 points, including a playoff record 17 in OT, as the Golden State Warriors defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 132-125.
The Blazers scored 41 points in the second – a franchise playoff record for one quarter – to head into halftime with a 10-point lead. But it was short lived, as the Warriors’ Klay Thompson hit on 4 of 7 three-pointers to help Golden State go up by one heading at the end of the third. The final quarter was a seesaw battle that featured 7 lead changes, and saw both Steph Curry and the Blazers’ Damian Lillard miss potential game-winners in the final 21 seconds.
Overtime was all Curry, as he hit on 6 of 7, including 3 of 3 from downtown, and made a pair of free throws, for 17 points, single handedly outscoring the Blazers in those five minutes of extra play. For the night, Curry went 40-9-8, Klay Thompson posted 23-4-2, and Draymond Green had a sweet line in the box score, with 21 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals, 7 blocks and just 2 turnovers.
For the Blazers, Lillard again had trouble find the basket, hitting on just 9 of 30, though he still managed to score 36 points, thanks to going 13 for 16 from the line. CJ McCollum had troubles of his own, making just 9 of 23 for 24 points, while committing 5 turnovers. These two carried the Blazers all season long, but they’ve struggled mightily against a team that is fighting for the title of Greatest of All Time.
Watch the Portland Trail Blazers vs. the Golden State Warriors at 10:30pm ET Wednesday on TNT.
All stats courtesy ESPN and Basketball Reference