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Sunday in the 2023 NBA Playoffs saw one series begin and another end in historic fashion. The Heat had another double-digit rally on the road to upend the Knicks in Game 1. The Warriors completed their 2-0 comeback by blowing out the Kings in the second half behind a record-setting performance from Steph Curry.
Hobbled Jimmy Butler Still Lifts Heat over Knicks
The Heat-Knicks series figures to be more physical than the Heat’s upset of Milwaukee in the first round. But Game 1 was still another case of the Heat being able to turn a double-digit deficit into a road win.
Miami trailed 32-21 after one quarter behind a big start by RJ Barrett (11 points), but the Heat quickly turned things around in the next two quarters, taking a lead into the fourth.
The Heat (42.4%) did not have a great shooting game, but they made six more threes than the Knicks, who were a miserable 7-of-34 (20.6%) from deep. Jalen Brunson scored as many points as Jimmy Butler (25), but he was 0-for-7 from three.
The Knicks did not have Julius Randle, who missed the game with an ankle injury. New York was able to pull within 95-92 late, but Butler scored his final points of the game from the line to put the Heat back to a comfortable margin despite him hobbling around for the remainder of the contest. A 7-0 run by the Heat all but put the Knicks out of the game with Miami winning 108-101.
New York was 29-1 this season when outshooting the opponent by at least 3.3 percentage points. The Knicks were +5.3% in this game, but it was too many missed threes, missed free throws, and turnovers that did them in.
Curry Shines in Game 7 Win as Kings Flop After Halftime
Game 7s are rarely exciting in the NBA as the home team usually wins big. In Sacramento, a very close, entertaining first half led to another blowout. But this time, it was the road team winning as the Warriors flexed their muscles with an absurd 13 offensive rebounds in the third quarter alone as Kevon Looney (21 rebounds) was a beast in the 120-100 win.
But this will go down as a pivotal game for Steph Curry, who finished with 50 points, a new NBA record for a Game 7. It was also the most shot attempts (38) Curry ever had in his career (1,023 games).
The Warriors needed it as Klay Thompson (4-for-19) could not get the ball wet in the Pacific Ocean, and the team missed 11 free throws too. But those second-chance opportunities in the third quarter were crucial as the Warriors outscored the Kings 35-23 to take over the game. Then in the fourth quarter, Curry just did anything he wanted to against the No. 25 defense. The top-ranked Kings offense disappointed with 37.5% shooting. De’Aaron Fox only scored 16 points on 5-of-19 shooting.
Curry’s creativity and Looney’s rebounding almost single-handedly got the job done for the Warriors. They will face the Lakers in the semifinals.
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