Cleaning up last night’s playoff action in the Association…
GAME 5
Stats Leaders:
PTS: DeMar DeRozan – 34 | REBS: Kyle Lowry – 10 | ASTS: Lowry – 6
Top DOG of the Night: DeMar DeRozan (34 points, 4 rebounds)
Quick Recap:
DEMAR DEROZAN HAS REDISCOVERED HIS MOJO! Toronto’s All-Star guard showed up big time last night, scoring a game-high 34 points on 11/22 shooting. Tough fadeaways, hard drives (six FGs in the paint) and getting to the foul line made way for his best outing of the Semifinals.
Miami fought back after trailing by 20 in the first half to cut it down to a single possession game in the fourth. But a nice, step back three by Kyle Lowry iced it with a little over 30 seconds to go.
Takeaway:
Toronto has a chance to close out in Miami on Friday. With DeRozan finding a rhythm, Lowry making clutch plays and Bismack Biyombo playing with confidence in the middle, their first ever Eastern Conference Finals berth is right around the corner.
Miami needs more help for Dwyane Wade to force Game 7. “Father Prime” did his thing (20 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists) but guys like Joe Johnson (11 points) & Luol Deng (4 points, left game with a wrist injury) have to ramp up the aggression.
TOR leads series, 3-2.
GAME 5
Stats Leaders:
PTS: Klay Thompson – 33 | REBS: Draymond Green – 11 | ASTS: Stephen Curry – 11
Top DOG of the Night: Stephen Curry (29 points, 11 assists)
Quick Recap:
On the night Stephen Curry received his second consecutive MVP trophy his Dubs dispatched the pesky Blazers after a barrage of buckets in the fourth quarter. A Texas-style shootout in the final 12, Steph’s dagger 3 over Al-Farouq Aminu effectively ended Portland’s impressive 2015-16 season:
Takeaway:
Healthy, hungry and rested, Golden State is ready to face either OKC or San Antonio in the Western Conference Finals. The “death lineup” made its return last night, though Portland’s small lineup was able match blow for blow until the final minute.
Despite their elimination, the entire city of Portland should be extremely proud of this year’s squad. Picked to finish with one of the league’s worst records, Terry Stotts group fought all year long and went down swinging v. the best team (record-wise) in NBA history.
Decisions need to be made on a few, key role players (Gerald Henderson, Maurice Harkless, Allen Crabbe, Meyers Leonard) but suddenly, Portland is an attractive free agent destination with the league’s SECOND-BEST backcourt (CJ & Dame combined for 55 in Game 5) as a main selling point.
GSW wins series, 4-1.
#DOFGAME #DOG
dofgamesports.wordpress.com 