Hawks Edge Wizards, Warriors Beat Grizzlies

Print

Published on May 14 2015 6:25 am
Last Updated on May 14 2015 6:25 am
Written by Millie Lange

With their magical season on the brink, the Atlanta Hawks needed someone to come up big. Al Horford wasn't supposed to be the guy. He would not be denied.

The Hawks center swooped in to snatch an offensive rebound and dropped in a shot from right under the basket with 1.9 seconds remaining, giving top-seeded Atlanta an 82-81 victory over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night and a 3-2 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

In a game of back-and-forth runs, the Hawks went more than 7 minutes in the fourth quarter without making a basket, then ripped off 14 straight points to take the lead. Atlanta went cold again, and it looked as though Paul Pierce had doomed Atlanta for the second time in the series. Having already made a buzzer-beating winner in Game 3, he got open in the corner and swished a 3-pointer with 8.3 seconds left, putting the Wizards up 81-80.


Warriors 98, Grizzlies 78

Down and out just days earlier, the Golden State Warriors suddenly look alive and well again. Stephen Curry turned in an MVP-worthy performance, Klay Thompson snapped out of his shooting funk and the Warriors rolled past the Memphis Grizzlies 98-78 on Wednesday night to take a 3-2 lead in their Western Conference semifinal series.

The Warriors turned up the league's top-rated defense and finally found their rhythm from long range.

Curry scored 18 points on six 3-pointers and added a career-playoff high six steals to go with seven rebounds and five assists. Thompson scored 21 points, and Harrison Barnes had 14 as the Warriors won their second straight game in impressive fashion.

Golden State can close out the Grizzlies in Game 6 on Friday night in Memphis.


Wednesday, May 13 Scoreboard

Atlanta 82, Washington 81
EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS - GAME 5

Golden State 98, Memphis 78
WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS - GAME 5


Thursday, May 14 Schedule (All Times Central)

Cleveland at Chicago, 7 p.m.
EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS - GAME 6

Houston at Los Angeles, 9:30 p.m.
WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS - GAME 6