Middleton, Portis each score 29 as Bucks stay alive with 115-92 victory over Pacers in Game 5
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Khris Middleton and Bobby Portis each scored 29 points and the short-handed Milwaukee Bucks kept their season alive by routing the Indiana Pacers 115-92 in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series. Portis had the highest point total of his playoff career and added 10 rebounds to make amends two nights after he got ejected from a Game 4 loss. The Pacers still lead the best-of-seven series 3-2 heading into Game 6 on Thursday in Indianapolis. The Bucks again were playing without injured stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard.
Tyrese Maxey saves Sixers from elimination with huge finish in OT win that cuts Knicks’ lead to 3-2
NEW YORK (AP) — Tyrese Maxey saved Philadelphia from elimination with seven points in the final 25 seconds of regulation, finished with 46 and led the 76ers to a 112-106 overtime victory over the New York Knicks in Game 5 of their first-round series. The 76ers trailed by six points with 28 seconds remaining in regulation before Maxey pulled out a comeback that evoked memories of Reggie Miller’s eights points in nine seconds for Indiana at Madison Square Garden in 1995. The All-Star guard converted a four-point play with 25 seconds remaining to cut it to two, and after Josh Hart’s free throw, pulled up from 35 feet to tie it at 97 with 8.1 seconds left.
Mitchell scores 28, Mobley has huge block as Cavaliers hold off Banchero, Magic 104-103 in Game 5
CLEVELAND (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 28 points, Evan Mobley blocked Franz Wagner’s layup in the final seconds and the Cleveland Cavaliers survived a scare from Orlando, holding off Paolo Banchero and the Magic 104-103 in Game 5. Cleveland leads the series 3-2. Game 6 is Friday in Orlando. The Cavs, who were embarrassed by the Magic while dropping two games in Orlando last week, regrouped inside roaring Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. It took everything they had. After Mitchell missed a jumper with 15.7 seconds left, Wagner drove the left side from a potential game-tying layup but was denied at the rim with 6 seconds left by Mobley. Playing in just his fifth postseason game, the 21-year-old Banchero had 39 points and looked like a savvy veteran. He scored 16 in the fourth.