Portland, Golden State Nab NBA Victories

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Published on April 28 2016 6:53 am
Last Updated on April 28 2016 6:53 am

Courtney Lee was steaming after missing a layup that would have given Charlotte the lead heading into the final minute. His anger didn't last long. Miami's will last for a while.

Lee's 3-pointer with 25.2 seconds left -- just his second make in nine tries from the floor -- put the Hornets ahead to stay, and Charlotte beat the Heat 90-88 in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference first-round series Wednesday night.

The Hornets have won three straight in the series to take a 3-2 lead into a potential Game 6 clincher on Friday night.

"I felt I couldn't make a shot," Lee said, "but the biggest one went in."

Miami thought Dwyane Wade was fouled after he got the rebound of a miss by Goran Dragic with 2.6 seconds left, and the Heat believed Luol Deng fouled Cody Zeller in an effort to send him to the line as time was running out.

Neither call came, and the Heat are on the brink of elimination.


Trail Blzers 108, Clippers 98

Damian Lillard finally made his first field goal early in third quarter, and the Portland Trail Blazers knew the game was about to change.

Lillard's 3-pointer was his only basket in the period, but it was enough to get him going. He scored 16 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter, and the Blazers capitalized on the absence of injured Chris Paul and Blake Griffin to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 108-98 on Wednesday night in Game 5 of their first-round series.

"I've always been able to put the first three quarters behind me and come up big when my team has needed it," Lillard said. "It wasn't even so much missing the shots that were bothering me, it was just that I couldn't get any attempts because they were so aggressive. But I stayed with it, kept my mind right and I saw one go in. That was it."

C.J. McCollum led the Blazers with 27 points. They are up 3-2 and could close it out Friday in Portland. If Game 7 is needed, it would be Saturday back at Staples Center.


Warriors 114, Rockets 81

Klay Thompson knew Golden State had to come together, that every player needed to raise his game with Stephen Curry sidelined.

"None of us can do it alone," Thompson insisted hours earlier.

He sure got things started, scoring 27 points with seven 3-pointers as the Warriors rolled into the second round of the playoffs without their injured superstar, thoroughly embarrassing the Houston Rockets 114-81 on Wednesday night in Game 5.

"Urgency of the game and we did not want to go back to Houston -- it's a long flight," Thompson said of his extra motivation.

Draymond Green added 15 points, nine rebounds and eight assists for the Warriors, who will face the winner of the Clippers-Trail Blazers series. Portland leads 3-2.

"Everybody, they think Steph goes down and the entire series changes. But we thought otherwise," Green said.

Without the MVP, Curry's fellow Splash Brother set the tone from the opening tip. Thompson became the first player in NBA history to make at least seven 3s in consecutive playoff games, while Shaun Livingston scored 16 points for his third double-digit performance in three games while starting in Curry's place this series.


Wednesday, April 27 Scoreboard

Charlotte 90, Miami 88
    
EASTERN CONFERENCE 1ST ROUND - GAME 5

Portland 108, Los Angeles Clippers 98    

WESTERN CONFERENCE 1ST ROUND - GAME 5

Golden State 114, Houston 81

WESTERN CONFERENCE 1ST ROUND - GAME 5


Thursday, April 28 Schedule (All Times Central)

Atlanta at Boston, 7p.m.

EASTERN CONFERENCE 1ST ROUND - GAME 6


Friday, April 29 Schedule (All Times Central)

Los Angeles at Portland, TBD

WESTERN CONFERENCE 1ST ROUND - GAME 6

Toronto at Indiana, TBD

EASTERN CONFERENCE 1ST ROUND - GAME 6

Miami at Charlotte, TBD

EASTERN CONFERENCE 1ST ROUND - GAME 6


Saturday, April 30 Schedule (All Times Central)

Boston at Atlanta, TBD

EASTERN CONFERENCE 1ST ROUND - GAME 7 IF NECESSARY

Oklahoma City at San Antonio, TBD

WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS - GAME 1


Sunday, May 1 Schedule (All Times Central)

Portland at Los Angeles, TBD

WESTERN CONFERENCE 1ST ROUND - GAME 7 IF NECESSARY

Indiana at Toronto, TBD    

EASTERN CONFERENCE 1ST ROUND - GAME 7 IF NECESSARY

Charlotte at Miami, TBD

EASTERN CONFERENCE 1ST ROUND - GAME 7 IF NECESSARY