Underdogs Pull Off Big Comebacks To Open Second Round Of Nba Playoffs 

The NBA playoffs kicked disconnected nan 2nd information Monday, May 5, pinch a brace of upsets that had nan apical teams successful stunned disbelief. The Boston Celtics, nan 2nd seed successful nan Eastern Conference, had a 20-point lead connected nan New York Knicks and looked successful power until it each fell apart. 

How did nan Boston Celtics’ lead disappear?

Inexplicably, nan Celtics kept shooting three-pointers successful nan 2nd half, and those shots did not spell in. As nan last buzzer sounded, they missed an NBA playoff-record 45 threes. That allowed nan Knicks to put together a awesome comeback and nonstop nan crippled into overtime. 

Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby each scored 29 points for New York. With 1 2nd to spell successful overtime, Mikal Bridges stole nan shot from Celtics defender Jaylen Brown to seal nan 108-105 win. The Knicks now person location tribunal advantage for nan remainder of nan series. Guard Jalen Brunson said defense was nan key.  

“We told each different conscionable support believing and conscionable support fighting, sticking together and support chipping away,” Brunson said. “Now, it wasn’t conscionable going to beryllium a 20-point changeable wherever you tin conscionable travel back. We sewage to support chipping distant possession by possession and past conscionable find a measurement to support getting stops.”

The comeback is nan third-largest shortage closed successful NBA playoff history. In 2019, nan Los Angeles Clippers stunned Steph Curry’s Golden State Warriors by erasing a 31-point lead to triumph and necktie their first-round bid astatine 1 triumph apiece. 

What was nan Celtics’ guidance to nan loss?

Jaylen Brown and nan Celtics hit nan Knicks successful each 4 games of nan regular season. They are now successful threat of falling down 2-0 astatine location connected Wednesday, May 7. Brown said they’ll apt person a different crippled scheme if they get different large lead.  

“In those moments erstwhile nan different squad sewage momentum, we can’t conscionable occurrence up threes,” Brown said. “You know, to break up momentum, you sewage to get to nan free propulsion line, get to nan paint, get to nan basket, possibly get an easy two, you cognize what I mean? Hit immoderate free throws, and past possibly nan adjacent three-pointer feels a small spot better. I felt for illustration we conscionable settled successful nan 2nd half, a lot.”

How did nan Denver Nuggets propulsion disconnected their comeback?

In nan Western Conference, the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder also mislaid its location tribunal advantage. They had a 13-point fourth-quarter lead complete nan Denver Nuggets Monday night, May 5, only to spot nan 2023 champions spell connected a 19-6 tally to extremity nan game. 

In nan last seconds, Thunder halfway Chet Holmgren missed 2 free throws. That opened nan doorway for Denver’s Aaron Gordon to deed a three-pointer pinch 2.8 seconds left, giving nan Nuggets an improbable 121-119 win. Gordon besides won a crippled successful nan first information against nan Los Angeles Clippers pinch a last-second putback.

“We conscionable didn’t want to miss nan moment, didn’t want to miss nan opportunity; we knew that if we waited, it whitethorn beryllium excessively late,” Gordon said. “I’m gladsome we showed our mettle, our grit, but we’re not satisfied.”

How good did MVP campaigner Nikola Jokic play?

The game-winning changeable overshadowed nan capacity of MVP campaigner Nikola Jokic, who had 42 points and 22 rebounds. He’s conscionable nan 4th subordinate successful history to person astatine slightest 40 points, 20 rebounds and 5 assists successful a playoff game. Of course, Jokic wanted to talk astir Gordon. 

“He is nan psyche of this team,” Jokic said. “He astir apt doesn’t get arsenic overmuch respect arsenic he deserves. But I deliberation he doesn’t request it.”

On Tuesday night, May 6, the NBA scene shifts to Cleveland, wherever nan top-seeded Cavaliers way their best-of-seven bid pinch Indiana. In nan Western Conference, nan Golden State Warriors recreation to Minnesota to play crippled 1 of their bid pinch nan Timberwolves.