Boston, NY and Minnesota One Win Away; Push Orlando, Detroit and LAL on Brink
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 28 Apr 2025
Minnesota's Edwards shoots the winning free throws that put Lakers on the brink of elimination>
Defending champion Boston Celtics and third seed New York won again and are just a win away from advancing to a second round meeting in the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Celtics defeated #7 Orlando Magic, 107-98 while the Knicks edged Detroit Pistons 94-93 in an error and misses filled ending to go up 3-1 in their respective series that are bound to go back to their homecourts.
Meanwhile, #7 Minnesota Timberwolves came one win also of advancing to the second round in the West and springing the playoffs' first upset by beating the Los Angeles Lakers, 116-113 and bringing back home to Minnesota a commanding 3-1 series lead.
The day's most dramatic victory was that of Minnesota over LAL following a successful challenge of coach Chris Finch of a no-foul call on Lebron James off a driving Anthony Edwards with ball possession even awarded to the Lakers on alleged Edward's last touch in the last few seconds of the game.
The replay showed that Lebron committed contact in swatting away Edward's drive hence Edwards was awarded two free throws which he both made to extend a point lead to three, 116-113. A desperation heave by Austin Reeves missed as the time expired.
As a whole the Minnesota-Lakers game was a veritable display of offensive prowess by the respective teams' main stars with Lebron and Luka Doncic having the advantage over Edwards. But it also turned to battle of attrition with Edwards and the Timberwolves enjoying more scoring support from other starters and even the bench. Lebron and Doncic also had to play extended minutes to sustain their team, whose team's weakness at the slot has hounded it since the start of the series.
Edwards led all scorers with 43 points and got ample support from fellow starters Julius Randle (25) and Jaden McDaniels (19) and the bench Nazir Reid (12) and Donte DiVinzenzo (9).
Doncic topped for LA with 38 points followed by James with 27 points. Hachimura (23) and Reeves (17) provided their usual contribution but only Dorian Finney Smith was produced off the bench with 6 points
If Minnesota eventually eliminates the Lakers, it will also be some sort of a revenge for Anthony and the Timberwolves, particularly on Doncic, who led Dallas Mavericks in ousting Minnesota in the Western Conference Finals last season.
The Knicks versus Pistons also had their endgame drama but it was characterized by an error and maze of misses such that the final score 94-93 set with still 40 seconds left remained as is until the final buzzer.
But Karl Anthony Towns for the second straight game emerged as the Knicks' hero as he scored two triples in succession that gave New York the lead for keeps with four minutes left.
Jalen Brunson as usual topped the Knicks scoring with 32 points. Towns had 27 points and Josh Hart came out with 14 points to make up for the low output of OG Anunoby and Miles Bridges both of whom managed just eight points each.
Cade Cunningham led the losers with 24 points but Tobias Harris (18) and Tim Hardaway Jnr (14) saw their most productive night go to waste in the close loss.
Boston was all business once it was able to break off from a closely fought game against Orlando for nearly three fourths of the match.
Jason Tatum proved steady in the clutches as time and again the Magic, through Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, tried to make it a nip and tuck heading to the crucial period of the final quarter.
The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.
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