Russell Westbrook ejected in fiery end to horror night; Pacers win OT thriller: NBA Playoffs Wrap

The Dallas Mavericks have taken a 2-1 lead of their Western Conference first-round sequence after a 101-90 win over the Los Angeles Clippers at American Airlines Center on Saturday.

The victory strikes Australian duo Dante Exum and Josh Green one step nearer to the second spherical of the playoffs, the place they might possible face fellow countryman Josh Giddey and the No.1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder.

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The Clippers took a 23-18 lead after the primary quarter, having made Luka Doncic work had for his factors early because the Slovenian celebrity went 1-for-4 to go together with a pair of turnovers.

However, Doncic and the Mavericks began to get going within the second, outscoring the Clippers 36-18 to open up a 54-41 buffer heading into halftime.

The defence although from Dallas was notably spectacular, holding Los Angeles to 41 per cent from the sector whereas racking up six steals and 5 blocks to spark fastbreak alternatives on the opposite finish.

Green was an enormous a part of that power on the defensive finish, hustling for 3 defensive rebounds and a steal within the win to go together with eight factors.

Green went crashing to the bottom early within the second quarter after a foul from Russell Westbrook, which was later referred to as a Flagrant-1, because the Clippers guard tried to dam the Australian’s lay-in after a Doncic steal.

Westbrook appeared to inform sections of the Mavericks crowd to “f*** off” and was later ejected from the sport within the fourth quarter for choosing up two technical fouls, first for wrapping up Doncic after which pushing PJ Washington.

It ended a tough evening for Westbrook, who went 0-for-7 from the sector, making only one free throw to complete with one level, three rebounds, one help, a steal, two blocks and a pair of turnovers.

Exum, in the meantime, didn’t have a lot of an affect however had a pleasant lob cross early within the recreation to arrange Derrick Lively Jr., who had 13 factors off the bench.

Doncic and Kyrie Irving mixed for 43 factors within the win whereas Norman Powell had a tied team-high 21 factors off the bench for the Clippers.

Elsewhere, Kawhi Leonard had 9 factors, 9 rebounds, two assists and two turnovers, later admitting post-game that his proper knee “just didn’t respond the way” he had hoped”.

“We’re going to get it right,” he added, having entered Game 3 questionable with proper knee irritation.

PACERS LEAD SERIES AFTER OVERTIME THRILLER

Earlier, Tyrese Haliburton drove for the game-winning basket because the Indiana Pacers held off a late Milwaukee cost to beat the Bucks 121-118 in time beyond regulation on Friday and take a 2-1 lead of their NBA Eastern Conference playoff sequence.

Haliburton delivered a triple-double of 18 factors, 10 rebounds and 16 assists to assist the Pacers face up to a 42-point efficiency from Milwaukee ahead Khris Middleton, who drilled a three-pointer to tie it with 2.3 seconds left in regulation and made one other trey to knot it at 118-118 with eight seconds left in time beyond regulation.

With 1.6 seconds remaining in time beyond regulation, Haliburton took an inbounds cross and break up the Bucks defence as he drove for a one-handed floater.

Fouled on the play, he made the free throw to cap the scoring. Middleton, enjoying by way of a sprained proper ankle, was unable to work one other three-point miracle as time expired.

“I just knew I was shooting the ball,” Haliburton informed broadcaster ESPN.

“I told everybody, just give me the ball, let’s go win the game.”

The Pacers escaped with the win in a recreation they led by 19 factors within the first quarter and by 17 within the third.

With two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo nonetheless sidelined by a calf damage, the Bucks couldn’t match Indiana’s early tempo.

But Damian Lillard shook off an early damage scare that had him limping off briefly within the first quarter to attain 19 of his 28 factors within the second half to assist the Bucks claw again.

They took the lead for the primary time on Lillard’s three-pointer early within the fourth quarter, the lead altering arms six instances within the fourth as they battled to time beyond regulation.

“Every possession is so valuable,” Haliburton stated.

“You’ve got to dig in. The game’s never over.” Myles Turner scored 29 factors for the Pacers, who will attempt to stretch their lead once they host recreation 4 on Monday.

MINNESOTA’S 3-0 HISTORY

The Minnesota Timberwolves have put Phoenix on the verge of elimination within the NBA playoffs.

A return to Phoenix offered no respite for Kevin Durant and the Suns, who at the moment are one defeat away from elimination after falling 126-109 to the Timberwolves.

In Indianapolis, Haliburton delivered a triple-double of 18 factors, 10 rebounds and 16 assists to

Anthony Edwards scored 36 factors to steer a complete Timberwolves workforce effort that included 19 factors and 14 rebounds from Rudy Gobert and 18 factors and 13 rebounds from Karl-Anthony Towns.

Six gamers scored in double figures for the Timberwolves, who led by as many as early within the fourth quarter.

Bradley Beal led the Suns with 28 factors. Durant scored 25 and Devin Booker added 23, however had no reply when the Timberwolves broke open a six-point recreation with a third-quarter scoring surge.

The Timberwolves have a 3-0 sequence lead for the primary time in franchise historical past. They’ll attempt to shut out the Suns, and regardless that each groups are well-aware that no NBA workforce has rallied from 0-3 right down to win a sequence Edwards stated the Timberwolves would take nothing with no consideration.

“We can’t look past the next game,” he stated.