The NBA conference semifinals got into full groove with only 8 teams left in the competition. The second round of playoffs continued as Brooklyn Nets capped off an impressive display to take a commanding 2-0 lead over Milwaukee Bucks. Playing their first conference semifinals in a decade, Phoenix Suns got to a winning start over Denver Nuggets.
NBA Playoffs Second Round
Nets 125-86 Bucks
Brooklyn Nets extended their rampant playoff run to 6-1 following a sublime win over the Bucks. The Nets outscored the number three seed across all the quarters to take the contest to Milwaukee with a 2-0 lead.
Vying their first ever championship title, the Nets outscored the Bucks by 17 points in the first quarter before taking a 24 point lead at halftime.
The number two seed were brilliant from the three-point range by managing to convert half of their shots in.
James Harden missed out on the contest due to the hamstring injury he suffered in Game 1. Kevin Durant led the scoring with 32 points while Kyrie Irving chipped in with 22 for the win.
This marked the first time that the Bucks failed to put on 100 points on board since the start of the postseason.
Naturally, no player from the Bucks was able to cross the 20-point threshold. Giannis Antetokounmpo came the closest with 18 points.
Suns 122-105 Nuggets
Coming off their respective 4-2 series win in the first round of playoffs. Number two seed Phoenix Suns took on number three seed Denver Nuggets in the Western conference semifinals.
In the bubble, the Nuggets had famously overturned a 3-1 deficit at this very stage to make it to the conference finals where they came up short against Los Angeles Lakers.
The first half at the Talking Stick Resort Arena was a tight affair. Both the teams managed to score 28 apiece in the first quarter and the visitors managed to etch a one-point lead heading into halftime.
The Suns fought back with an impressive third quarter where they restricted the Nuggets to just 20 points.
Despite winning the fixture in the end by 17 points there was very little to separate between the two sides.
Chris Paul, played an instrumental role towards the end of the fixture as he went 6 for 6 in the final quarter.
Four of the Suns’ players, including Chris Paul, were able to score over 20 points. Mikal Bridges narrowly led the scoring by posting 23 points. MVP candidate Nikola Jokic scored 22 points in a losing cause.
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