Even without star player Jayson Tatum, the Celtics in the playoff series shorten against the Knicks. For another team, however, the end.
First match ball? Warded off! Defending champion Boston Celtics has initially averted the premature end in the NBA playoffs. The record champion defeated the New York Knicks in the first game without star player Jayson Tatum with 127:10 and reduced the gap in the best-of-Seven series to 2: 3.
On the other hand, the title dreams of the Golden State Warriors have burst. Again without his injured megastar Stephen Curry (thigh strain), the seven -time master lost 110: 121 against the Minnesota Timberwolves and had to delete the sails prematurely after the fourth defeat in the fifth game of the series.
For the top scorer Minnesotas, who, according to the Indiana Pacers (4-1 against the Cleveland Cavaliers) as the second team, booked the semi-final ticket, Julius Randle became 29 points, for which Warriors came to 28 points. The Timberwolves left Golden State hardly a chance from the start, already led it at half -time with a 15 -point lead and expanded it in the third quarter before the Warriors at least shortened.
Celtics win after Tatum injury
In the Bostoner TD Garden, on the other hand, both teams delivered a balanced game until the break, but then the Celtics led by Jaylen Brown. In the end, the forward came to 26 points, 12 assists and 8 rebounds. The most successful point collector of the host was Derrick White with 34 points. Josh Hart 24 and Jalen Brunson collected 22 points for New York. Tatum will no longer be able to intervene this season, the Paris Olympic champion had torn the right -wing tendon in the four of the quarter -final series.
“You never want to have to do without one of his players, especially not one of his best. But no matter who fails, every single player makes his contribution,” said Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla: “Whatever we have to go through, there is no one with whom I would rather go through it than with these boys.”
Boston needs two more victories in a row in the east coast duel to prevent the end. Game six takes place on Saturday night in Madison Square Garden in New York. Already in the night of Saturday, Isaiah Hartenstein with Oklahoma City Thunder has the first semi-final match ball. The team around the 27-year-old German-American runs 3-2 against the Denver Nuggets.