Los Angeles Lakers – Minnesota Timberwolves : 96-103
Minnesota wins the 4-1 series
Rudy Gobert released the best game from his career at the best time. With the qualification at stake, when his team needed it most, when Anthony Edwards was going completely next to his match (15 points to 5 of 19 including 0 of 11 with three-Points). The Lakers have chosen to play smaller by completely dismissing their holder pivot, Jaxson Hayes, rotation and opting for a more dynamic group on the ground. Gobert, often wrongly criticized, made them pay their lack of size. He completely dominated the meeting on both sides of the prosecution to finish with 27 points and 24 rebounds.
Its 9 offensive rebounds notably gave second chances to a hyper clumsy-pointed minnesota team (7 out of 47) but which has marked enough points while stifling their opponents with their iron defense, the trademark of this workforce. Again under the leadership of the French interior. Luka Doncic compiled 28 points, 7 rebounds and 9 assists but the Angelenos lacked juice and inspirations in key moments. Like every time on this series.
The Timberwolves put more than 40 points more than the Lakers in the fourth quarters of this first round. The two teams were equal to the first 36 minutes of the matches, with even an advantage for Los Angeles, but the Money Time has always turned to the advantage of Minnesota. And Gobert, by multiplying baskets and rebounds in painting, turned off the chances of Comeback by LeBron James (22 points) and his partners. The latter also lacked external skill (11 out of 37) with a chain of failed shots behind the arc when they could reduce the gap or even pass in front.
It is obviously a disillusionment for the men of JJ Redick, past third to the west in the wake of the arrival of Doncic. Never has a Lakers team came out in the first round of the playoffs after finishing in the top-3 of its conference. A premature elimination that will push managers to make adjustments in the roster this summer.
Houston Rockets – Golden State Warriors : 131-116
Golden State leads the 3-2 series
The Rockets played their best basketball when they no longer had the choice to do otherwise. Under the threat of elimination, the men of Ime Udoka dominated their subject from start to finish to tear a game 6 by winning quite clearly against the Warriors last night (131-115). A one-way match that Steve Kerr preferred to wave the white flag more than a quarter of an hour from the end, taking out its holders in the middle of the third quarter. Houston then led 93-64. The coach preferred to draw a line on this meeting, let his executives over 35 rest and already focus on the next home game, where Golden State will have an opportunity to validate his qualification.
Much more inspired offensively than in previous duels, Fred Vanvleet (26 points) and his teammates scored 40 points in the first quarter to dig a substantial first gap (+14). Several players have been successful: 25 points, 6 rebounds and 5 interceptions for Amen Thompson, 24 points for Dillon Brooks, 15 points, 9 rebounds and 9 assists for Alperen Sangun. On the Warriors side, no holder weighed on the match and Stephen Curry finished with 13 points at 4 out of 12 on shots. It remains to be seen whether the Rockets will be able to reproduce this kind of performance twice in a row to become the fourteenth team in history to overthrow a 3-1 in a series of playoffs.
