That has to be luckiest most fortuitous finish in NBA history
8 or 9 points off of lucky bounces and desperate shots down the stretch, and that's not counting the foul to win and end the game (which was a good call)
8 or 9 points off of lucky bounces and desperate shots down the stretch, and that's not counting the foul to win and end the game (which was a good call)
Knicks' OG Anunoby, Josh Hart pushing to make Game 7.
New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby, out since Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals because of a left hamstring strain, plans to participate in shootaround Sunday morning and test the possibility of returning for Game 7 against the Indiana Pacers, sources told ESPN.The Knicks upgraded Anunoby to questionable on Saturday afternoon after sources told ESPN that the initial expectation had been that he would remain out unless the Knicks advanced to the Eastern Conference finals against the Boston Celtics beginning Tuesday. Nevertheless, Anunoby has advanced in his rehabilitation and believes there's a real opportunity for him to return and help his team with the season on the line Sunday, sources said.
Anunoby has been sidelined since injuring the hamstring on May 6, and the sheer possibility of his return for a Game 7 could be a boon for a Knicks lineup decimated with injuries. He has averaged 16.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1 steal and 1 block in eight playoff games this season.
Knicks guard Josh Hart also has been listed as questionable with an abdominal strain suffered in Game 6 in Indiana, and the expectation is that he'll do everything within his power to try to play Sunday, sources said. Even if on the milder side, abdominal strains are limited in treatment options, unlike ankle sprains or legs bruises that can be treated with ice and stimulation.
Almost any movements for Hart stir pain, including simply coughing and breathing. There's no escaping the pain, which is something that can be avoided with injuries to other parts of the body.
Hart has averaged 14.9 points, a team-leading 11.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists in 42.6 minutes a game in these playoffs.
The Knicks have lost All-NBA forward Julius Randle, center Mitchell Robinson and forward Bojan Bogdanovic with season-ending injuries.
Nuggets' Jamal Murray (elbow) 'feeling great' ahead of Game 7.
DENVER -- Nuggets star guard Jamal Murray is "feeling great" and went through a full practice on Saturday, according to head coach Michael Malone.Murray injured his right elbow when he ran into a screen set by Rudy Gobert in the opening moments of Minnesota's 115-70 Game 6 rout of the Nuggets. Murray said after the game on Thursday night that he hoped for his team's sake he could get his elbow feeling right by Sunday's Game 7.
But at the end of Saturday's practice, Murray stayed late to get shots up and could be seen drilling several 3-pointers in a row while an assistant coach challenged the shots.
"He feels great," Malone said after practice.
Asked if Murray is hungry to play well in Game 7 after shooting just 4-for-18 and scoring 10 points in Game 6, Malone said his point guard "looked very hungry today."
Look like he hadn't eaten in two days," Malone said. "So hopefully that carries over tomorrow. I hope he doesn't eat until tomorrow until 6:00 p.m."
Murray is averaging 19.7 points on 50% shooting, including 42% on 3-pointers, in Denver's three wins this series. In the three losses to Minnesota, Murray is averaging 11.7 points and 26% shooting.
Game 7, though, won't be a new experience for Murray, Nikola Jokic and Malone. Those three have been in four Game 7's since the 2019 postseason. They are 3-1 in those games, winning their past two in the NBA bubble when the Nuggets came back from down 3-1 to beat the Jazz and Clippers in the first two rounds in 2020.
"The message is simple, man," Malone said of what he told his team. "Game 7's are great. Enjoy it. Me, Jamal and Nikola, we've been part of four of those games in our six years in the playoffs. That's why you work so hard to get home-court advantage for, in front of the best fans in the NBA.
"And we know that in Game 7, every possession matters. There can be no 'my bad's' tomorrow."
Michael Porter Jr., who has scored a total of 18 points in the past three games, says the defending champs have plenty of big-game experience to lean on. He also cited how the Nuggets beat the Wolves at home, 116-107, in the third-to-last regular-season game when both teams were jockeying for home-court advantage in the postseason.
"Game 7's are always great games," Porter said. "But we played in a lot of big games, you know what I mean?
"... We had a similar game against them to decide what was supposed to be the 1-seed late in the season. So we played this team in big moments, and we're looking forward to the challenge."
| Tuesday, May 21, 2024 - NBA Basketball Game | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 549 | Indiana Pacers | +9.5 | -115 | Ov | 220 | -110 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 550 | Boston Celtics | -9½ | -105 | Un | 220 | -110 |
