‘Prayers’: Superstar suffers scary injury that may ruin contender’s season — NBA Wrap

The LA Clippers’ season is out of the blue in turmoil with fears of a critical harm to All-Star guard Paul George.

The famous person went down late within the fourth quarter in Wednesday (AEDT)’s loss to Oklahoma City showing to hyperextend his knee.

He instantly fell to the ground and laid there for a number of minutes earlier than needing assist to stroll again to the locker room.

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The Clippers didn’t present an replace post-game however shedding him for an prolonged time frame could be devastating to their hopes of contending within the West.

They at present sit fifth with a file of 38-34, simply two wins out of the play-in.

Meanwhile Donovan Mitchell scored 31 factors because the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Brooklyn Nets 115-109 to ship the Philadelphia 76ers into the postseason.

Mitchell made 10-of-22 from the sphere together with 5 three-pointers whereas Caris LeVert added 18 from the bench towards his former membership as Cleveland improved to 46-28 to tighten their grip on fourth within the Eastern Conference.

Cleveland’s victory ensured that third-placed Philadelphia turned the most recent crew to punch their ticket to the playoffs regardless of not taking part in on Tuesday.

While Cleveland are but to clinch, it should take a monumental collapse within the remaining weeks of the season for them to not advance to the postseason.

Tuesday’s recreation might properly become a sneak preview for the playoffs, with Brooklyn nonetheless occupying the sixth automated qualifying spot within the Eastern Conference.

Against Cleveland they began brightly, taking a 30-23 lead into the second quarter earlier than being outscored 71-48 within the subsequent two durations to successfully cede the sport, even when they managed to cut back the deficit to single digits within the remaining phases.

Day’Ron Sharpe led Brooklyn’s scoring with 20 factors whereas Spencer Dinwiddie had 19 factors with 11 assists and 5 rebounds.

Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff was sad that his crew eased off late within the fourth quarter.

“We need to play a complete game,” Bickerstaff mentioned.

“We allowed the lead to dictate our emotions, we allowed a big play to dictate our emotions, instead of doing the job and finishing the game the way we need to finish the game,” Bickerstaff added.

Nets coach Jacques Vaughn lamented his crew’s collapse within the second and third quarters.

“That’s a big question for us,” Vaughn mentioned. “I think we got a little stagnant with the basketball. Tough second quarter for us.

“Along those lines of putting four quarters together, it all seems as if there’s one quarter that punches us in the gut a little bit.” In Sacramento, the Boston Celtics’ gave the high-flying Kings a postseason actuality test with a blowout 132-109 win.

Sacramento have been one of many shock packages of the Western Conference this season, sitting third within the standings.

But the Kings had been overpowered by a Celtics line-up that confirmed flashes of their dominant early season kind as they reduce free within the second half to outscore Sacramento 72-55.

Jayson Tatum led the Celtics scoring with 36 factors whereas Jaylen Brown added 27 factors and Derrick White 20.

In different video games on Tuesday, Trae Young completed with 30 factors in Atlanta’s 129-107 win over the lowly Detroit Pistons, who’re propping up the East with a league-worst file of 16-57.

Atlanta improved to 36-36 with the victory and are on monitor for a minimum of a spot within the play-in event.

In Orlando, Gary Harris completed with 22 factors and Franz Wagner 20 because the Magic dented Washington’s playoff aspirations with a 122-112 victory.

The Wizards are at present exterior the play-in locations in twelfth spot within the East with a 32-40 file.