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The excitement at the 2021 NBA Playoffs was at its highest on Father’s Day Sunday, with the Phoenix Suns and the Atlanta Hawks winning their respective matches.
The No. 5-seeded Hawks shocked the world by defeating the East’s No. 1 seed Philadelphia 76ers 103-96 to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals with a 4-3 semifinal series win.
Atlanta Hawks forward Kevin Huerter was the star of Game 7 as he had a 27-point outing that made up for a poor shooting night from Trae Young. Young, nonetheless, contributed 21 points and 10 assists to the Hawks’ NBA Playoffs cause. After winning two games on the road in this NBA Playoffs series, Atlanta entered Game 7 with a lot of confidence.
In the Western Conference Finals, it was the Phoenix Suns who took a 1-0 lead in their best-of-seven NBA Playoffs series against the LA Clippers with a 120-114 victory.
Devin Booker recorded the first triple-double of his career, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. The 24-year-old recorded 40 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists. He made 15-of-29 shots and 3-of-7 from three-point range.
Booker scored 18 of the Phoenix Suns’ 36 points in the third quarter in one of the most exhilarating shooting displays of the entire NBA Playoffs.
2021 NBA Playoffs: Atlanta Hawks beat Philadelphia 76ers in Game 5 (Hawks lead series 3-2)
Neither the Philadelphia 76ers nor the Atlanta Hawks could pull away in the first quarter, unlike in previous games in this NBA Playoffs best-of-seven series where one team would break out with a double-digit lead early.
Kevin Huerter came out red-hot, shooting 4-of-4 from the field, including a three-pointer and a floater that tied the game at 17-all with 4:55 to go in the period. The quarter ended with the Philadelphia 76ers ahead 28-25 after a layup by Joel Embiid with 1.2 seconds to go in the NBA Playoffs series.
The Atlanta Hawks’ Danilo Gallinari fearlessly took shots knowing that Bogdan Bogdanovic was injured and limited in his movements.
Trae Young had been largely quiet in this NBA Playoffs Game 7 when it came to getting his own shots, making his first field goal of the night with a three-pointer at the 8:04 mark of the second quarter. It gave the Atlanta Hawks a 36-31 lead in the second quarter.
By halftime, the Atlanta Hawks were sitting on a precarious 48-46 lead. Embiid led the Philadelphia 76ers with 15 points, while Huerter led the visitors with 12 points.
On almost three consecutive possessions, Young found Clint Capella on passes that led to two alley-oops and a dunk by the Atlanta Hawks center.
The Philadelphia 76ers managed to score 25 points despite Embiid scoring just five in the quarter. However, it was the Atlanta Hawks who took a 76-71 lead heading into the fourth quarter. Embiid scored the Philadelphia 76ers’ first five points of the fourth period and tied the game at 76-all with 10:37 remaining in Game 7 of this NBA Playoffs series.
With less than four minutes to play, Simmons refused an easy dunk and hit Matisse Thybulle with a pass. That play would haunt the Philadelphia 76ers the rest of the way after Thybulle made just one of two free throws.
Despite missing plenty of shots, Young confidently made a three-pointer with 2:31 to go to give the Atlanta Hawks a 93-87 lead. The Philadelphia 76ers played catch-up the rest of the way, but the Hawks put a stranglehold on them and took this NBA Playoffs series.
Final Score: Atlanta Hawks 109-106 Philadelphia 76ers
Atlanta Hawks’ Top Performers
- Kevin Huerter 27p, 7r, 10-of-18 FG
- Trae Young 21p, 10a, 6TO, 5-of-23 FG
- John Collins 14p, 16r, 1b
Philadelphia 76ers' Top Performers
- Joel Embiid 31p, 11r, 3a, 8TO, 2-of-5 3PT
- Tobias Harris 24p, 14r, 4a, 2s, 8-of-24 FG
- Seth Curry 16p, 1s, 1b, 3-of-5 3PT
2021 NBA Playoffs: Phoenix Suns beat LA Clippers in Game 1 (Suns lead series 1-0)
The LA Clippers and the Phoenix Suns were feeling each other out in the first quarter of this NBA Playoffs best-of-seven series. Both missed plenty of shots, with the Clippers making just 36 percent and the Suns shooting 41 percent. Paul George scored 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting in the period.
During the second quarter, with George and Marcus Morris on the bench, DeMarcus Cousins scored six quick points to provide the LA Clippers with an offensive boost off the bench.
Cousins led them on a 7-0 run to take a 37-35 lead with 7:15 left before halftime of Game 1 of their NBA Playoffs series.
However, the LA Clippers would trail the Phoenix Suns at the half, 57-54. George had 17 points to lead the Clippers, while Deandre Ayton led the Suns with 14 points and 4 rebounds.
Things got more exciting in the third quarter as Booker exploded for 18 points to give the Phoenix Suns an offensive lift. However, George went on a personal run, scoring eight straight points for the LA Clippers, who went on a 16-2 run as a team.
By the end of the third quarter, the score was tied at 93-all.
Booker remained hot in the fourth quarter of this tightly contested NBA Playoffs encounter and scored 11 points in the period. The two-time All-Star drove to the lane to either finish the play himself or give his teammates a wide-open shot.
The LA Clippers, however, would make one last rally to get them within two points with 22 seconds remaining. However, a miscommunication on defense gave the Phoenix Suns a quick two points with only 20 seconds to play and a four-point lead.
Booker finished the Clippers off with two free throws for the final score in this NBA Playoffs game.
Final Score: LA Clippers 114-120 Phoenix Suns
LA Clippers’ Top Performers
- Paul George 37p, 16r, 5a, 1s, 2b
- Marcus Morris Sr. 25p, 2r, 2a, 3-of-4 3PT
- Reggie Jackson 21p, 3a, 2s
Phoenix Suns' Top Performers
- Devin Booker 32p, 7r, 9-of-17 3PT
- Deandre Ayton 21p, 5r, 5a, 6-of-19 FG
- Mikal Bridges 17p, 10r
Also Read: 3 players unlikely to return to the New Orleans Pelicans for the 2021-22 NBA Season
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