Magic saddle Cavs with their worst playoff defeat ever
Paolo Banchero had 31 points and 14 rebounds, Jalen Suggs added 24 points and the Orlando Magic handed Cleveland the worst playoff loss in franchise history, winning 121-83 on Thursday night to cut the Cavaliers' lead to 2-1 in their Eastern Conference first-round series.
Franz Wagner finished with 16 points and eight assists for the Magic, who led by 43 points in the fourth quarter on the way to the third-largest margin of victory in a playoff game.
They can even the series with a win at home Sunday.
Jarrett Allen had 15 points and eight rebounds for the Cavaliers.
Joel Embiid scored 50 points, making all four 3-point attempts and scoring 18 in a potential series-shifting third quarter to lead host Philadelphia in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference first-round series. After the game, Embiid said he has been diagnosed with Bell's palsy, a form of facial paralysis he says has affected him since before the play-in tournament. Embiid wore sunglasses to the podium and said he's battled various symptoms such as blurred vision and dry eyes. With one of the finest postseason efforts of his career, Embiid became the third player to ever score 50 points against the Knicks in the postseason. The Knicks lead the series 2-1. Game 4 is Sunday in Philadelphia.
Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton's status for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference first-round playoff series with the Indiana Pacers is uncertain after he hurt his ankle in the last game and didn't practice Thursday.
Middleton was limping in the first quarter of the Bucks' 125-108 Game 2 loss on Tuesday and briefly went into the locker room, but he returned after getting his right ankle re-taped and ended up playing 36 minutes. Bucks coach Doc Rivers said Middleton didn't practice at all on Thursday and was unsure of the three-time All-Star's availability for today's game in Indianapolis.
“It's another holding-ourbreath situation,” Rivers said. “Honesty, I don't know.”
The Bucks and Pacers are tied 1-1 in the best-of-7 series. Middleton has averaged 19 points, 7.5 rebounds and 5 assists through the first two games.
Milwaukee already played the first two games of this series without twotime MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who also missed the Bucks' final three regular-season
76ERS 125, KNICKS 114 >>
BUCKS INJURIES >>
Orlando's Paolo Banchero celebrates scoring in the third quarter of a 121-83rout of Cleveland in Game 3.
SCHEDULE
FIRST ROUND
WESTERN CONFERENCE
OKLAHOMA CITY 2, NEW ORLEANS 0
Game 1: Oklahoma City 94, New Orleans 92 Game 2: Oklahoma City 124, New Orleans 94 Saturday: at New Orleans, 12:30 p.m. Monday: at New Orleans, TBA x-Wednesday: at Oklahoma City, 5:30 p.m. x-May 3: at New Orleans, TBA x-May 5: at Oklahoma City, TBA
MINNESOTA 2, PHOENIX 0
Game 1: Minnesota 120, Phoenix 95 Game 2: Minnesota 105, Phoenix 93 Today: at Phoenix, 7:30 p.m. Sunday: at Phoenix, 6:30 p.m. x-Tuesday: at Minnesota, 6:30 p.m. x-May 2: at Phoenix, TBA x-May 4: at Minnesota, TBA
EASTERN CONFERENCE
BOSTON 1, MIAMI 1
Game 1: Boston 114, Miami 91 Game 2: Miami 111, Boston 101 Saturday: at Miami, 3 p.m. Monday: at Miami, TBA Wednesday: at Boston, 4:30 p.m. x-May 3: at Miami, TBA x-May 5: at Boston, TBA
NEW YORK 2, PHILADELPHIA 1
Game 1: New York 111, Philadelphia 104 Game 2: New York 104, Philadelphia 101 Game 3: Philadelphia 125, New York 114 Sunday: at Philadelphia, 10 a.m. Tuesday: at New York, 4 p.m. x-May 2: at Philadelphia, TBA x-May 4: at New York, TBA
MILWAUKEE 1, INDIANA 1
Game 1: Milwaukee 109, Indiana 94 Game 2: Indiana 125, Milwaukee 108 Today: at Indiana, 2:30 p.m.
Sunday: at Indiana, 4 p.m.
Tuesday: at Milwaukee, TBA x-May 2: at Indiana, TBA x-May 4: at Milwaukee, TBA
CLEVELAND 2, ORLANDO 1
Game 1: Cleveland 97, Orlando 83 Game 2: Cleveland 96, Orlando 86 Game 3: Orlando 121, Cleveland 83 Saturday: at Orlando, 10 a.m. Tuesday: at Cleveland, TBA x-May 3: at Orlando, TBA x-May 5: at Cleveland, TBA games after straining his left calf in an April 9 victory over the Boston Celtics.
“He did a lot of floor stuff today, probably the most I've seen,” Rivers said. “Nothing live. He was shooting and moving today.”
Antetokounmpo's potential return date or possible availability for today remains uncertain.
CURRY WINS CLUTCH PLAYER OF YEAR >>
Golden State's Stephen Curry led the league in clutch scoring this season, and now he's got another trophy. Curry was announced as the NBA's Clutch Player of the Year, adding that award to a haul that includes two MVPs, an All-Star Game MVP, an NBA Finals MVP, a Western Conference finals MVP and nine All-NBA selections.