Warriors Not Done Yet
The defending champion Golden State Warriors kept their fading chances for a repeat alive, knocking off the Los Angeles Lakers 121-106 in Game 5 of their Western Conference semifinal series. The Lakers will take a 3-2 led back to Los Angeles for Game 6 on Friday.
The Warriors’ Stephen Curry scored a game-high 27 points, shooting 12-24 from the field with three 3-pointers made. Curry also dished out a game-high eight assists. It’s the 17th time Curry has been the outright leader in both points and assists in a playoff game, tying James Harden for the seventh-most such games in NBA history.
Teammate Draymond Green scored 20 points on 7-11 shooting from the field, also hauling in a game-high 10 rebounds. It’s the sixth time Green has recorded at least 20 points and 10 rebounds in a playoff game, and the first time he’s done so since May 18, 2019.
Andrew Wiggins was the third Warrior to record a 20-point game, scoring 25 points on 10-18 accuracy from the field. Wiggins also contributed seven rebounds and five assists. It’s the first time Wiggins has recorded at least 25 points, five rebounds, and five assists in a playoff game.
Warriors guard Klay Thompson continued to struggle offensively, scoring only 10 points on 3-12 shooting from the floor. Thompson is averaging just 11.3 PPG over his last three games, shooting 11-37 from the field (29.7%) and 8-24 from 3-point range (33.3%).
The Lakers’ LeBron James scored a team-high 25 points in the loss, making nine of his 17 attempts from the field. James also tied for the team lead with nine rebounds. It’s the 96th time James has been his team’s leader — either outright or tied — in both points and rebounds in a playoff game. The only player in NBA history with more such games is Karl Malone with 104.
Lakers center Anthony Davis scored 23 points and matched James’ team-high nine rebounds. Davis did not block a shot for the second consecutive game after recording multiple blocks in each of his first nine games this postseason.
Knicks Stay Alive
The New York Knicks staved off elimination, beating the Miami Heat 112-103 in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series. The Heat hold a 3-2 edge as the teams return to Miami for Game 6 on Friday.
The Knicks’ Jalen Brunson played the full 48 minutes, scoring a game-high 38 points, grabbing nine rebounds, and dishing out a team-high seven assists. Brunson has scored at least 20 points in each of his 10 games in the 2023 NBA Playoffs. He’s just the second player in franchise history to open a postseason with 10 such games in a row, joining Carmelo Anthony (2013).
Brunson shot 12-22 from the field — including 4-10 from 3-point range — and made 10 of his 12 free throws. Brunson became just the second player in franchise history to make at least 10 field goals and 10 free throws in back-to-back playoff games. He joins Bernard King, who did so twice (April 25 & 27, 1984 and May 9 & 11, 1984).
Over his last four games, Brunson has scored 120 points and committed just three turnovers. Since the NBA began tracking individual turnovers in 1977-78, only two other players have averaged at least 30 PPG and less than one turnover per game over a four-game playoff span: Michael Jordan (1996 & 1998) and Chauncey Billups (2009).
Teammate RJ Barrett scored 26 points, giving him six 20-point games in his last seven games. It’s the sixth time Brunson and Barrett have each scored at least 20 points in the same game this postseason, breaking the franchise record for most such games by a duo in a postseason.
Julius Randle was the third Knick to record a 20-point game, tallying 24 points, five rebounds, and five assists. It’s the third time Brunson, Barrett, and Randle have each scored at least 20 points in the same game this postseason, tying the franchise record for most such games by a trio in a postseason:
Dave DeBusschere, Walt Frazier, & Willis Reed (1969)
Dave DeBusschere, Walt Frazier, & Jerry Lucas (1972)
RJ Barrett, Jalen Brunson, & Julius Randle (2023)
The Heat’s Jimmy Butler scored a team-high 19 points in the loss, the first time he’s been held to fewer than 25 points in a game this postseason. Butler also contributed nine assists, seven rebounds, four steals, and two blocks.