Scoreboard
76ers 120, Wizards 95
Knicks 101, Hawks 92
Jazz 141, Grizzlies 121
What went down
It was a game of runs and revenge at Madison Square Garden as the New York Knicks beat the Atlanta Hawks, 101-92, to even their series at 1-1.
The Hawks got out to an early lead after opening the game with a 13-0 blast. The Knicks clapped back, cutting the lead to within one until the Hawks made another big 14-3 run, stretching the gap to as much as 15 points.
But after the break, the Knicks went on a 30-8 run in the third, led by Julius Randle. When New York took the lead, Madison Square Garden erupted. Atlanta tried to make a comeback in the fourth, but the Knicks were able to control the game the rest of the way to take Game 2.
Derrick Rose (26 PTS) fuels the @nyknicks first #NBAPlayoffs win since 2013 as they tie the series 1-1! #NewYorkForever
— NBA (@NBA) May 27, 2021
Game 3: Friday at 7pm/et on ESPN pic.twitter.com/H6agMwnCSS
Derrick Rose had a phenomenal performance for the Knicks, finishing with 26 points, 14 of which came in the first half.
“I’ve been dreaming about this moment for a long time,” an emotional Rose said after the game.
Bullock had 15 points after only scoring three before the break. Randle’s struggles from the field continued but he ended the game with a double-double of 15 points and 12 rebounds.
Trae Young, who started the game hot, only scored 10 in the second half. He still finished with an impressive 30 points and seven assists.
Big-time baller
Utah undoubtedly has a number of scorers. But one guy’s contribution today went beyond just making buckets, he got the whole team involved.
Mike Conley matched his career high in assists with 15 of the Jazz’s 28 in Game 2 against the Memphis Grizzlies.
He was able to fill in the shoes of their star guard, Donovan Mitchell, who saw limited minutes after coming off an injury. Without his main man on the floor, Conley worked double time to get the ball moving. He facilitated and made sure everybody was involved.
What he said
Tensions were high in the matchup between the Philadelphia 76ers and Washington Wizards. An injured Russell Westbrook got evidently angry when a fan threw popcorn on him while he was returning to the Wizards’ dugout. The fan was immediately ejected from the game.
fan pours popcorn on Westbrook as he’s being assisted off floor with an injury pic.twitter.com/tGcn4kqRqq
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) May 27, 2021
“This [expletive] is out of hand. If a guy threw popcorn on my head on the street, we know what would happen. I’ve had problems [in Philadelphia] before. They feel untouchable. You gotta start protecting the players. We’ll see what the NBA does,” Westbrook said in an interview.
Did you see that?
The Grizzlies are in good hands. The team’s leading scorer, Ja Morant, had 47 points, four rebounds, and seven assists against the Jazz. However, it’s plays like this that makes fans in Memphis not only excited for the outcome of the season, but also for the entire future of the franchise knowing that Ja’s leading the pack.
JA REVERSE LOB 😤 pic.twitter.com/QQ1aGmW69H
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) May 27, 2021
