5 takeaways from Nuggets' Game 1 victory over Suns - NBA.com

Jamal Murray delivers 34 points, Nikola Jokic adds 24 and 19 boards and Denver leans on 2 big 1st-half runs to roll at home.

DENVER – Fresh out of the locker room, leading by 17 points, Denver coach Michael Malone signaled swiftly for a timeout … just 32 seconds into the second half, once Phoenix chopped four points off the home team’s edge.

See, like several of you, Malone watched wide-eyed when the Suns unleashed a third-quarter offensive tsunami in reeling off 50 points Tuesday to beat the LA Clippers in the opening round of the playoffs. So, Malone understood disappointment might be lying in wait before 19,762 frenzied fans screaming inside Ball Arena.

He wasn’t going for that.

“It was a quick timeout to say, ‘Hey man, let’s get our s— together,’” Malone explained. “This is a good team. Don’t give them life. Lock in. Let’s do our job and give ourselves the best chance to win.”

The Nuggets accomplished that mission Saturday in dominating the Suns 125-107 to seize Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals. Malone’s quick timeout demonstrated just how crucial every decision becomes when two teams chockful of stars clash head-to-head on the postseason stage.

Here are five takeaways from Game 1:

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1. The Jamal Murray effect

With 10:30 left to play in Game 1, Jamal Murray spun into a step-back jumper for his 25th and 26th points of the night, only to collect his 28th at the 8:21 mark in transition after pulling down a rebound.

Fewer than two minutes later, the 26-year-old drilled a second consecutive 3-pointer to increase his scoring output to 34 points while pushing Denver to a 112-95 lead. Those two splashes rippled through Phoenix’s collective psyche and the fans at Ball Arena over a span of 28 seconds.

“Hitting that big shot and getting the crowd that loud, you live for those moments, and you want to make the most of those moments,” Murray said. “I’ve been waiting for a while to be healthy, to be back and playing at this level during this time of year. So, it just felt good to feel it and have the crowd behind us.”

Go behind the scenes with Jamal Murray as he tours Australia and talks about his upbringing, his career, playing along Nikola Jokic and his road back from injury.

Murray racked up 20 of his game-high 34 points in the second half, and the Nuggets are now 10-0 this season (including 3-0 in the playoffs) when the guard produces 30 points or more.

Sure, we saw a couple of shaky showings from Murray in the first round against Minnesota, but keep in mind he still averaged 27.2 points, 6.4 assists and 5.6 rebounds in five games against the Timberwolves.

More and more Murray is putting together breathtaking performances reminiscent of what transpired in the 2020 NBA bubble.

Most importantly, he’s positively affecting winning.

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5 takeaways from Nuggets' Game 1 victory over Suns - NBA.com
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Jimmy Butler's miracle shot vs. Bucks completes his NBA Playoff legend - SB Nation

A wise man once said, “Jimmy G Buckets, and the G stands for gets.”

Butler has been on a tear to open the 2023 NBA playoffs, averaging 36.5 points through the first four games, helping the 8 seed Miami Heat sprint out to a 3-1 lead over the Bucks. The Heat had a chance to close out the series in Milwaukee. Miami was down two with 2.1 seconds left, when Jimmy Butler hit the most miraculous shot I think I’ve ever seen.

Thrown in by Gabe Vincent (who poured in 22 points of his own), Butler curled around a Kyle Lowry screen towards the basket, where both Pat Connaughton and Jrue Holiday were standing. Butler creates space as the ball is in the air, but the ball is a bit overthrown. No problem for Jimmy Buckets, who jumps backwards and catches the ball in midair, and is able to get a shot off before expiration.

Seriously. How did Butler hit this shot?

Like, how?

Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images

Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images

Of course, because his name is Jimmy Buckets, it goes in and he sends the game to overtime, where the Heat were able to finish the game off, as well as the Milwaukee Bucks.

We knew Jimmy was a legend even before he dropped 56 points in Game 4 to put the Bucks on the brink of elimination. This seals it.

I’m still in shock about the shot. As a Heat fan, I’ve seen some pretty incredible things, yet that was arguably the most incredible thing I’ve ever seen. He just caught the ball and flicked it up there, and it went in. I stood in front of my TV silent, trying to figure out how Jimmy Butler defied gravity and tied the game against the 1 seed on their home court. Isaac Newton bows down to you, Jimmy Butler.

Honestly, I’m still in shock. How did he make that? How did the Heat beat the 1 seed Bucks, finishing them off on their home floor? The answer to both can be the same: Jimmy Butler and opportunistic defense. Butler averaged around 38 points per game on 67% true shooting percentage, including 42 in the elimination game. It looked miraculous going in, much like that shot, but the Heat are moving on and will face New York in the next round.

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Jimmy Butler's miracle shot vs. Bucks completes his NBA Playoff legend - SB Nation
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LeBron James Takes Shots At LeBron James For Ineffective Game 5 Performance - Sports Illustrated

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1. LeBron James Takes Shots At LeBron James For Ineffective Game 5 Performance  Sports Illustrated
2. NBA Playoffs: LeBron James says he was ‘s---’ in Game 5, vows to improve  Silver Screen and Roll
3. Xavier Tillman Has A Message For The Lakers After Winning Game 5: "We'll Come Back For Game 7 For Sure."  Fadeaway World
4. NBA Playoffs 4/28: Memphis Grizzlies vs. Los Angeles Lakers Analysis - All Lakers | News, Rumors, Videos, Schedule, Roster, Salaries And  Sports Illustrated
5. LeBron James Addresses Terrible Game 5 Performance  Basketball Forever
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NBA Top 10 Plays Of The Night | April 23, 2023 - NBA

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Lakers News: Dillon Brooks Ejected During Second Half Of Game 3 - Sports Illustrated

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1. Lakers News: Dillon Brooks Ejected During Second Half Of Game 3  Sports Illustrated
2. Lakers vs. Grizzlies Final Score: LA silences Dillon Brooks in Game 3 win  Silver Screen and Roll
3. NBA: Dillon Brooks ejected after groin shot to LeBron James  sports.inquirer.net
4. Memphis Grizzlies mauled by Lakers in Game 3 loss, but Ja Morant gave them hope | Giannotto  Commercial Appeal
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Nuggets CLOSE TO PLAYOFF SWEEP After Third Win Over Timberwolves in 2023 NBA Playoffs | CBS Sports - CBS Sports

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TNT holds off Brownlee-less Ginebra in pivotal game 5 win - CNN Philippines

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Rich Eisen Weighs In on Draymond Green's 1-Game Suspension for Stomping on Domantas Sabonis - The Rich Eisen Show

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#5 CLIPPERS at #4 SUNS | FULL GAME 1 HIGHLIGHTS | April 16, 2023 - NBA

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Ja Morant takes a hard fall and appears to injury his wrist | NBA on ESPN - ESPN

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Pressure is on AD in Lakers vs Grizzlies, talks Wiggins return, 1st-round of NBA Playoffs | THE HERD - The Herd with Colin Cowherd

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DeMar DeRozan & Zach LaVine react to play-in tournament win over Toronto | NBA on ESPN - ESPN

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Hawks vs. Heat Play-In Preview: Jimmy Butler lives for these moments – Nick Friedell | NBA Today - ESPN

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Rudy Gobert and Kyle Anderson held back after HEATED exchange on Wolves bench - Bleacher Report

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NBA investigates Mavericks after they sat out key players vs. Bulls - USA TODAY

How to Watch Suns at Lakers: Stream NBA Live, TV Channel - Sports Illustrated

Crypto.com Arena is set to host the exciting matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Phoenix Suns on Friday in NBA regular season action. The Suns head into the meeting having secured fourth place in the Western Conference standings with an overall record of 44-35 with just two games left in the regular season. Phoenix will be looking to extend its active six-game winning streak which has seen the team beat the likes of the Philadelphia 76ers, Utah Jazz, Minnesota Timberwolves, Denver Nuggets, Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs in its most recent outing on Tuesday. Devin Booker put up a team-high 27 points to go along with seven rebounds in the 21-point win at home.

How to Watch Phoenix Suns at Los Angeles Lakers today:

Game Date: April 7, 2023

Game Time: 10:30 p.m. ET

TV: Bally Sports Arizona, NBA TV

Watch Phoenix Suns at Los Angeles Lakers online with fuboTV: Start with your free trial today!

Meanwhile, the Lakers are firmly entrenched in the Western Conference play-in race, currently sitting in seventh place with an overall record of 41-39, just one game behind the fifth-placed Los Angeles Clippers and sixth-placed Golden State Warriors.

Don't miss the thrilling matchup between the Lakers and the Suns on Friday in NBA regular season action.

Regional restrictions may apply.

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Injury Update: Mavs Prioritizing Draft Lottery Over Play-In Odds? - Sports Illustrated

DALLAS — Despite not being officially eliminated from play-in qualification, the Dallas Mavericks are going to be sitting a long list of key players against the Chicago Bulls on Friday night. 

On the official injury report, the Mavs have already ruled out Kyrie Irving (right foot injury recovery), Josh Green (rest), Tim Hardaway Jr. (left ankle soreness), Maxi Kleber (right hamstring injury recovery) and Christian Wood (rest) will all miss tonight’s game against the Bulls.

There are a few names listed as probable on the Mavs' latest injury report, including Luka Doncic (left thigh injury recovery) and JaVale McGee (right ankle sprain). Less than 24 hours before the Mavs released Friday's morning injury report, only Doncic and Irving were mentioned. Both of the team's superstars were designated as probable to play. 

The motive for having such a drastic change to the injury report is clear. The Mavs are prioritizing their positioning to keep their top-10 protected first-round pick over keeping their play-in hopes alive. 

Doncic had expressed his desire to do precisely the opposite when speaking to reporters at Tuesday's practice. The Mavs went on to defeat the Sacramento Kings during a Wednesday matchup, keeping elimination at bay. 

“No, I’m playing tomorrow (against Sacramento),” Doncic said on Tuesday. “When there’s still a chance, I’m going to play. So, that’s not going to happen yet.”

Even after Wednesday's win over the Kings, Doncic remained confident in the Mavs' outlook to compete for play-in qualification. He understood the difficulty of the next two games, but expressed confidence in a "special" group players he's playing alongside. 

“Well, yeah," Doncic said when asked if he thinks the Mavs can do damage in the play-in. "Where we’re at, we have to win two really tough games, but yeah. We’re confident, for sure. But we’ve got to get there first. We have a lot of special players and we’re confident.”

The Bulls will be without no shortage of key players in their own right after locking in the 10th spot in the Eastern Conference. Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan already have been ruled out due to rest. 

Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Dallas Mavericks? Click Here.

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PH women avoid ‘group of death’ in volleyball draw - ABS-CBN News

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1. PH women avoid ‘group of death’ in volleyball draw  ABS-CBN News
2. SEA Games: PWNVT avoids Group of Death; PMNVT not part of draw  Tiebreaker Times
3. Filipinas grouped with reigning champion Vietnam in SEA Games women's football  Sports Interactive Network Philippines
4. PNVF official insists men's team included in SEA Games  ABS-CBN News
5. Filipinas grouped with defending champion Vietnam in Cambodia SEA Games  GMA News Online
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Luka Doncic won't be shut down if Mavs can still make playoffs - ABC News

DALLAS -- All-Star guard Luka Doncic declared that he would not consider being shut down for the season as long as the Dallas Mavericks have postseason hopes, no matter how long the odds.

"I'm playing tomorrow," Doncic said after Tuesday's practice. "When there's still a chance, I'm gonna play. So that's not gonna happen yet."

Doncic (left thigh injury recovery) and fellow All-Star guard Kyrie Irving (right foot injury recovery) are officially listed as probable for Wednesday's home game against the Sacramento Kings. After losing seven of their past eight games, the 37-42 Mavs are one game behind the Oklahoma City Thunder for the Western Conference's final play-in spot.

 

The Thunder own the tiebreaker over the Mavs, meaning that Dallas must win two more games than Oklahoma City in the final week of the season to extend its season.

"There's little chance," Doncic said. "We all know that, but like I said, as long as there's a chance, I'll play."

The Mavs, who currently have the 10th-best lottery odds, owe the New York Knicks a top-10-protected pick as the final piece of the Kristaps Porzingis trade. Team sources told ESPN on Monday that there had been internal discussions about shutting down Doncic and Irving for the final three games, a scenario that would have prioritized protecting lottery position over chasing the slim chance of qualifying for the play-in tournament.

Doncic said he was not included in those discussions.

"I think they knew that I wouldn't want to do it," said Doncic, who is averaging 32.8 points per game, two-tenths of a point behind Philadelphia's Joel Embiid in the race for the scoring title. "They know me like that, so I think it was not a big discussion."

Doncic described this as "a very disappointing season" for the Mavs, who advanced to the West finals a year ago. In an attempt to contend this season, Dallas made a blockbuster trade for Irving before the deadline, giving up two starters ( Dorian Finney-Smith and Spencer Dinwiddie) and an unprotected 2029 first-round pick despite no guarantee that Irving would re-sign with the Mavs as a free agent this summer.

That deal has not paid dividends, as the Mavs are 4-11 with both Doncic and Irving in the lineup. The Mavs are 7-15 overall since Irving joined the team, falling from fourth place in the West standings following wins in his first two games to 11th.

"I think you don't see that chemistry we had before -- I mean, especially last year," Doncic said. "I think that chemistry was at the top, everybody. But chemistry builds not just not right away. It's a long process."

The Mavs have allowed 118.3 points per 100 possessions over those 22 games since Irving arrived, which ranks 25th in the league during that span.

"I don't think the offense is a problem, and I always said this," Doncic said. "It's our defensive end. I think anybody can score on us. Whoever it is, anybody can score on us."

Doncic took accountability for much of the Mavs' defensive inadequacy. He said he has struggled with fatigue after having little time off over the past three years, playing for the Mavs and the Slovenian national team, and carrying a historically heavy offensive workload early in the season in the wake of  Jalen Brunson's departure in free agency.

"But that's not an excuse," Doncic said. "I'm still young, age-wise, but it's a lot of basketball. But I gotta be way better.

"I'm the leader of this team. The one to blame is me."

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Stephen A. isn't counting out the Warriors' finals chances with Andrew Wiggins back | First Take - ESPN

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Milwaukee's Thanasis Antetokounmpo Fined - NBA Official

NEW YORK, April 1, 2023 – Milwaukee Bucks forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo has been suspended one game without pay for headbutting Boston Celtics forward Blake Griffin during a stoppage in play, it was announced today by Joe Dumars, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations.

The incident, for which Antetokounmpo was assessed a Flagrant Foul 2 and ejected, occurred with 1:25 remaining in the fourth quarter of the Bucks’ 140-99 loss to the Celtics on March 30 at Fiserv Forum.

Antetokounmpo will serve his suspension April 2 when the Bucks host the Philadelphia 76ers at Fiserv Forum.

To view the incident, click on the following link: https://www.nba.com/watch/video/celtics-vs-bucks-3-30-2023

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