Three of the four NBA conference semi-finals series could be coming to an end, with the Golden State Warriors as well as the No. 1-seeded Miami Heat and Phoenix Suns all just one win away from closing out their respective opponents.
All three will have to win away from home to move on to the conference finals, although the NBA 2022 betting odds will favour the Warriors against the Memphis Grizzlies, who will once again be without star guard Ja Morant in Game 5.
Meanwhile, the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics continue their epic battle, with the Celtics looking to grab their first lead of the series in Game 5 in Boston.
Read on below as SBOTOP previews the upcoming games of the four conference semi-final series.
Milwaukee Bucks @ Boston Celtics
The Celtics missed a great opportunity to beat the Bucks in Game 3, but they made no mistake in Game 4 in Milwaukee as they grabbed a big 116-108 win to tie the series at 2-2.
Boston outscored the Bucks 43-28 in the fourth quarter, with Jayson Tatum scoring 12 of his 30 points in the final frame.
However, Al Horford was the big story as the 36-year-old centre scored a playoff career-high 30 points (11-14 FG) with 9 rebounds in 42 minutes. Horford has been brilliant in this series, averaging 19 points and 11 rebounds while shooting 48 per cent on seven 3-point attempts per game.
As for Milwaukee, Giannis Antetokounmpo had another huge effort with 34 points and 18 rebounds, but he eventually faded due to exhaustion. Meanwhile, Jrue Holiday had a disappointing game with 16 points on just 5-of-22 shooting.
The Celtics’ defence has been outstanding in stifling the Bucks throughout the series, with Giannis wearing down under the pressure of carrying the team on both ends of the court. Holiday will need to come up big away from home if the defending champions are to avoid going down a 3-2 hole in Boston.
Betting Tip: Bucks Asian Handicap +6.00 @ 1.86
Golden State Warriors @ Memphis Grizzlies
The Warriors are one win away from returning to the West finals. After blowing out the Grizzlies by 30 in Game 3, Golden State squeaked out a 101-98 win in Game 4 on the strength of Stephen Curry’s 32 points.
The Grizzlies were without Ja Morant in Game 4, and the unfortunate NBA 2022 news is that Morant is likely out for the remainder of the playoffs due to his knee injury. Tyus Jones stepped up with 19 points in place of Morant, while Kyle Anderson added 17 points off the bench.
However, Dillon Brooks had a disastrous game after returning from suspension as he finished with just 12 points on 5-of-19 shooting. Jaren Jackson Jr had 21 points on 7-of-21 shooting, while Desmond Bane had another disappointing game with just 8 points.
The Warriors will once again be without head coach Steve Kerr for their potential closeout game as he remains in the Covid protocols.
But they will still like their chances of beating the Grizzlies, especially if Klay Thompson and Jordan Poole bounce back from their disappointing Game 4 (28 points, 10-of-32 shooting, 0-of-10 on 3-pointers combined).
Betting Tip: Warriors Asian Handicap -3.50 @ 1.89
Miami Heat @ Philadelphia 76ers
After back-to-back defeats in Philadelphia, the Miami Heat have regained control of their series against the Sixers with a dominant 120-85 win in Game 5.
Jimmy Butler, who scored 73 points in two games in Philly, had another strong game with 23 points, while the starting backcourt of Gabe Vincent and Max Strus combined for 34 big points as veteran Kyle Lowry once again missed out due to his ailing hamstring.
The Sixers’ starting backcourt, on the other hand, struggled as James Harden – the hero of Game 4 – and Tyrese Maxey had just 23 points between them on 7-of-23 shooting. The Heat’s suffocating defence held the Sixers to just 36 per cent shooting.
Joel Embiid, who has played well since returning from his facial fracture, and the Sixers will surely be in desperation mode as they face elimination in Game 6 at home. Aside from their stars, they need role players such as Tobias Harris and Danny Green to be more involved offensively.
Phoenix Suns @ Dallas Mavericks
Similar to the Heat, the Suns reasserted their authority on their series against the Mavs as they won Game 5 by 30 points to take a 3-2 lead.
Devin Booker led the way with 28 points, while Deandre Ayton added 20 points in just 22 minutes as he battled early foul trouble.
The Mavs’ backcourt of Luka Doncic and Jalen Brunson both played well as they combined for 49 points and 18 rebounds. But they hardly got any help from their supporting cast as the Mavs shot a mere 8 of 25 from beyond the arc.
The Mavs’ role players have generally played well at home, and they will need to provide Doncic and Brunson with more support as they look to stave off elimination in Game 6.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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