Houston (USA), Jun 2 (EFE) .- Normality reached the NBA playoffs with the classification this Wednesday of the Utah Jazz, Philadelphia Sixers and Atlanta Hawks to the semifinals of their respective Western Conferences and the This one after having overcome the first round qualifiers 4-1 to the best of seven.
Star guard Donovan Mitchell was tasked with leading the Jazz back to a 126-110 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 5 of the tie.
The best team in the league confirmed that it is the highest contender for the title in the Western Conference, where it will rival the winner of the tie between the Los Angeles Clippers against the Dallas Mavericks, with a 3-2 advantage for the team.
The first semifinal game will be played at the Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City.
Mitchell had a double-double of 30 points, 10 assists and six rebounds, his best game of the series, and the Jazz managed to win a first-round playoff eliminator for the first time since 2018.
While the Grizzlies will begin their early vacations after losing the last four games after having surprised with the victory in the opening game of the series that was played at the Vivint Arena.
If Mitchell claimed his status as a franchise player, he did not play the first game, the French center Rudy Gobert continued in his line of undisputed leader in the paint and also finished with a double-double of 23 points and 15 rebounds, in addition to putting three plugs.
Once again, point guard Jordan Clarkson claimed his status as the winner of the Sixth Player of the Year award and scored 24 points as a reserve.
While power forward Royce O’Neale, who is increasing every day in his individual game, reached 17 goals, the same as Croatian forward Bojan Bogdanovic, which perfectly complements Mitchell’s offensive work as a first option for attack.
Faced with this complete individual and team game, the Grizzlies could only present the maximum of fight and resistance, but without ever having the option to win.
Point guard Ja Morant and forward Dillon Brooks led Memphis with 27 points each, but without being able to lead the score.
The absence of the star center, Cameroonian Joel Embiid, did not prevent the Sixers from beating the Washington Wizards 129-112 in Game 5 and also winning the series 4-1.
The Sixers, who finished the league with the best record in the Eastern Conference, return to the semifinals after last year being eliminated in the first round when they were swept 4-0 by the Boston Celtics in the Orlando bubble.
The Sixers’ rival in the semifinals will be the Hawks, who defeated the New York Knicks 89-103 at home in Game 5.
A duel so they hope to also have Embiid, their franchise player, who was in the pre-game warm-ups.
Sin Embiid, injured in Game 4, suffered a meniscus tear in his right knee, guard Seth Curry emerged with his best shooting inspiration and led the Sixers’ attack by scoring 30 points after scoring 10 of 17 shots from the field, including 3 of 6 3-point attempts and 7-7 from the personnel line.
Curry established his best mark as a professional in the playoffs, surpassing the previous 22 he had achieved and became the winning factor of surprise.
Forward Tobias Harris reached 28 points as the second leading scorer, in addition to capturing nine rebounds, distributing six assists, recovering three balls and putting a block in another decisive individual effort.
As was also the triple-double contributed by the Australian point guard Ben Simmons who achieved with 19 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists and had two blocks.
While point guard Trae Young returned to shine in a special way at Madison Square Garden by scoring 36 points and the Hawks returned to the Eastern Conference semifinals for the first time since 2016.
Swiss center Clint Capela backed up his words of confidence the day before with a decisive double-double of 14 points, 15 rebounds and two blocks with the Hawks.
Along with Young, who made 3 of 11 shots from outside the perimeter with nine assists, and Capela, forward De’Andre Hunter had another 15 points and power forward John Collins had 13 points, in addition to grabbing seven rebounds.
Power forward Julius Randle was once again the best of the Knicks with a double-double of 23 points and 13 rebounds, but the New York team ended their participation in the postseason disappointingly.
The drama was present again at the Staples Center, where the Mavericks achieved their third consecutive win of the series against the Clippers after beating 100-105 and taking a 3-2 lead.
An exceptional Luka Doncic, who contributed a double-double of 42 points, 14 assists and eight rebounds, made the difference in favor of the Mavericks, who are one triumph away from reaching the semifinals and being the only ones who have broken so far. the forecasts.
Sonia Salazar
(c) EFE Agency