The Boston Celtics are showing just how dominant their defence can be in the NBA Playoffs. Thanks to the C’s incredible D, they are now one win away from completing a sweep of Kevin Durant’s Nets after winning Game 3 in Brooklyn.
Meanwhile, the Utah Jazz just about stayed alive in their series against the Dallas Mavericks as their star duo of Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell combined for the game-winning basket in Luka Doncic’s return.
Read on below as SBOTOP shares all the latest news and updates on the 2022 NBA Playoffs.
Celtics on the cusp of sweeping KD, Nets
The Boston Celtics are one win away from completing a first-round a sweep of the Brooklyn Nets after a 109-103 victory in Game 3.
Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 39 points in 45 minutes of action as he outscored the Nets’ superstar duo of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, who once again struggled with just 32 points combined.
The Celtics’ suffocating defence – led by newly crowned Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart – has been the story of this series thus far. They have completely shut down Durant, arguably the league’s most potent offensive player, limiting him to just 22 PPG on 36.5 per cent shooting through three games.
Durant admits the Celtics’ tough defence has him “thinking too much” about his game. And his task will be made that much harder by the return of Celtics’ centre Robert Williams III, who played his first game back after missing a month due to knee surgery. Williams had 2 points and 2 rebounds in 16 minutes.
Gobert’s game-winning dunk spoils Doncic’s return
Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert combined for the game-winning dunk as the Utah Jazz overcame the Dallas Mavericks 100-99 in Game 4 to tie the series up at 2-2.
With just 11 seconds left in the game, Mitchell threw a lob to Gobert, who dunked the ball to give the Jazz the lead.
“It’s poetic justice in a way,” Gobert said after the win. “It’s a play that we’ve made many times. It just happened to be the game-winning play tonight.”
That dunk spoiled the return of Mavs superstar Luka Doncic, who scored 30 points in 34 minutes after missing the first three games of the series due to a strained calf. Jalen Brunson, who was brilliant in Doncic’s absence, added 23 points but was just 7-of-18 from the field.
Timberwolves tie up series with close win over Grizzlies
Like the Jazz, the Minnesota Timberwolves also hung on to a 119-118 win at home over the No. 2 seed Memphis Grizzlies to tie their series at 2-2.
After blowing a 26-point lead in Game 3, the Wolves were again up by as many as 13 points in the second half of Game 4. But despite another Grizzlies’ rally, Minnesota held on thanks to a playoff career-high 33 points from Karl-Anthony Towns.
Guards Patrick Beverley and Jordan McLaughlin also came up big as they combined for 33 points on 8-of-10 shooting from beyond the arc.
Desmond Bane had a team-high 34 points on 8-of-12 shooting on 3-pointers in a losing effort for the Grizzlies. All-Star point guard Ja Morant was limited to just 11 points on 4-of-13 shooting, but he did have 8 rebounds and 15 assists.
Rookie of the Year Barnes returns as Raptors avoid Sixers sweep
The Toronto Raptors overcame the NBA 2022 odds and avoided a disappointing first-round sweep by beating the Philadelphia 76ers 110-102 in Game 4.
Pascal Siakam led the Raptors with 34 points and 8 rebounds in 44 minutes and Gary Trent Jr added 24 points.
Meanwhile, Scottie Barnes, who was in the NBA 2022 news as he won the 2022 Rookie of the Year Award, made his return from a sprained ankle to get 6 points and 11 rebounds in 26 minutes.
James Harden led the Sixers with 22 points, although he went just 5-of-17 from the field. Joel Embiid, who is dealing with a thumb sprain on his right shooting hand, scored 21 points on 7-of-16 shooting.
Embiid said post-game that he believes he will continue to play through the injury and will undergo surgery (if required) only after the playoffs are over.
Heat’s Kyle Lowry questionable for Game 4 with hamstring injury
The Miami Heat – the No. 1 seed in the East – could potentially be without starting point guard Kyle Lowry for Game 4 against the Atlanta Hawks as he sat out practice with a hamstring injury.
Although, Lowry has been undergoing treatment for the injury and is still hoping to make it on the court for Game 4.
“We’re going to just honestly take it hourly by hourly and go from there,” Lowry said.
The 36-year-old Lowry had 6 points and 5 assists in 23 minutes in the Heat’s 111-110 loss to the Hawks in Game 3 and is averaging 8.3 points and 5.3 assists in the series.
Gabe Vincent, who is averaging 7.3 points and 4.3 assists in the first three games of the series, is likely to get the start if Lowry cannot play.
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