Knicks stars explain how success comes from chemistry and… candy.
After defeating the 76ers in Game 6, former Villanova players Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo explained the recipe for victory.
Paulo Panchero had 27 points and Franz Wagner had 26 points Orlando Magic Eastern Conference forced a Game 7 in the first-round series 103-96 win over Cleveland Cavaliers On Friday.
Jalen Suggs sank six 3-pointers to highlight his 22-point performance for the fifth-ranked Magic, who were paced by Donovan Mitchell’s 50 points in a best-of-three seven-game winning streak. Orlando forced its first Game 7 since the 2009 playoffs.
The Magic will visit Cleveland on Sunday afternoon for Game 7, having won the first six games at home. The winner of Sunday’s game will advance to the conference semifinals against the top-seeded Boston Celtics.
„It’s the moment you play,” Orlando coach Jamal Mosley said of Game 7. „That’s why you do it. You do it for these moments. So being on the road, Game 7, the ability to continue to grow every game comes together. I think that’s what this team is looking for.
Mitchell hit 22 of 36 shots from the floor and fellow guard Darius Garland added 21 points.
Despite missing a chance to go ahead in Game 6, Cleveland coach JP Bickerstaff was optimistic heading into Sunday’s win-or-go-home contest.
„Our guys will be ready for now,” Bickerstaff said. „Our guys are very good at home. We don’t expect that to change.
Mitchell scored all 18 of his team’s fourth-quarter points, led by a 3-pointer with 4:01 left to tie the game at 89-89. Banchero made a 3-pointer and a layup, and Cole tipped in Anthony Mitchell’s short jumper with 1:57 left to extend Orlando’s lead to 96-91.
Mitchell scored from the interior and sank a 3-pointer to pull Cleveland within four at 100-96 with 20.6 seconds left. Suggs made a free throw to extend the Magic’s advantage, and Evan Mobley failed to convert on the other end to effectively end the game.
“All stood upright; Everyone was talking in every meeting,” Panchero told Poly Sports Florida. “Credit to the whole team. It was a special night. We want to do it again.
Suggs converted a four-point play to put Orlando up 53-46 with 34.8 seconds left in the second quarter. Mitchell responded by scoring the final three points of the first half and nine of the first 13 points in the third quarter for his team.
The Magic pulled within one at 74-73 before Mitchell made a driving layup and a short jumper to end the third quarter.
The Mavericks eliminate the Clippers
Kyrie Irving scored 28 of his 30 points in the second half, and the Dallas Mavericks advanced to the second round with a dramatic 114-101 victory over the visiting Los Angeles Clippers in Game 6 of the Western Conference series on Friday night.
Luka Doncic had 28 points, 13 assists and seven rebounds as the fifth-seeded Mavericks swept the series in six games. Dallas will meet the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in the next round.
PJ Washington added 14 points, Daniel Gafford had 13 and reserve Derek Lively II had 10 points and nine rebounds for the Mavericks.
Norman Powell scored 20 points off the bench and Paul George added 18 for the fourth-ranked Clippers, who were without Kawhi Leonard (knee) for the third straight and fourth time in the series.
Ivica Zubac added 17 points and 11 rebounds, James Harden added 16 points, 13 assists and seven boards, and Terrence Mann had 14 points for Los Angeles.
Dallas lost forward Maxi Kleber to a sprained right shoulder early in the second quarter.
The Mavericks shot 48.2% from the field, including 12 of 36 from 3-point range. Irving added five 3-pointers and Washington four.
Los Angeles connected on 41.5% of its attempts and was just 8 of 31 from behind the arc.
The Clippers swept Dallas in the first round of the 2020 and 2021 playoffs, but didn’t put up a fight in the first 6½ minutes of the fourth quarter.
Dallas had a 15-point advantage after back-to-back baskets by Doncic and Derrick Jones Jr. and soon pushed it to 100-78.
Moments later, Irving was dancing around PJ Tucker’s coverage. He drove to the right corner and swished a 3-pointer. Tucker fouled him and Irving made the free throw for a four-point play to make it 106-82 with 5:38 left.
Dallas was in celebration mode on the electric play, but Los Angeles started charging. Harden’s three-point play capped a 13-2 spurt that moved the Clippers within 108-95 with 3:11 left.
But down by 14 with 1:14 remaining, both teams emptied their benches.