NBA – Golden State Warriors narrowly escape, Boston Celtics and Al Horford heroic in Milwaukee

Warriors-Grizzlies: 101-98

Golden State leads 3-1

The Warriors have been very, very, very hot. Abused throughout the game, they finally won against the Grizzlies (101-98) by overthrowing their opponents in the last quarter under the leadership of Stephen Curry. The Golden State superstar scored 32 points, including 18 in the final 12 minutes. Curry gave his team the first advantage of the game 45 seconds from the final buzzer. He did not shake on the free throw line, thus maintaining the gap during the final possessions. Draymond Green also proved decisive by blocking a three-point attempt by Jaren Jackson Jr in the final moments of the game. Steve Kerr’s players – exceptionally coached by Mike Brown after their coach tested positive for COVID-19 – narrowly escaped and are now breaking the series (3-1).

The Grizzlies have absolutely not deserved without Ja Morant, injured in the knee and therefore forfeited for this Game 4. It must be said that Memphis has played « better » without its All-Star leader all season. Taylor Jenkins’ men, for example, had a record of 20 wins in 25 matches with Tyus Jones in the five majors. They lose in explosiveness and volume but gain in seriousness and are even more unpredictable in attack. Jones scored 19 points and put his team on the right track. The Tennessee franchise, for example, had a 10-point lead (64-74) during the third quarter. But it lacked genius – that of Morant for example – in money time.

The Warriors were particularly clumsy. Even their stars. Especially their stars. Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Jordan Poole compiled a terrible 4 of 24 from behind the arc. But they finally managed to win by chaining a few stops in the last minutes. A reminder that this team can shine on both sides of the court. However, she will have to be more serious to get her qualification on the Grizzlies floor during Game 5.

Bucks-Celtics: 108-116

The two teams are tied 2-2

35 years old and more than twenty playoff series on the clock. Al Horford is a behemoth of experience but he has never looked so young and so fresh as this season. Moreover, the former All-Star even offered himself a new personal best at this stage of the competition by scoring 30 points on 11 of 14 on shots to guide his Celtics to a very important victory on the field of the Bucks the last night (116-108). Usually quite discreet, he showed all his emotion by tearing himself away on each action, defending with passion or even dunking with rage on Giannis Antetokounmpo to equalize in the last moments of the game. The Dominican interior was the main architect of a superb Boston comeback, led at the start of the fourth quarter and finally winner by completely dominating the money time (43-28).

Horford (16) and Jayson Tatum (12) scored as many points as the entire Milwaukee team in the final 12 minutes. The All-Star winger made up for it after his poor performance in Game 3, which ended with 10 points to 4 of 19 on shots. This time he scored 30 points while taking 13 rebounds. The Celtics hit 16 of 19 attempts in the fourth quarter, including 10 of 11 combined for Horford and Tatum. The winning duo. The Bucks of Antetokounmpo (34 points, 18 rebounds) still led 92-94 before cracking in the last 6 minutes by conceding a 14-2. They were far too clumsy to hope to win, like a Jrue Holiday limited to 16 points at 5 out of 22. No team has managed to win two games in a row in this series for now. They are therefore tied 2-2, which promises a fantastic Game 5 in Boston.