As you’ve probably heard by now, winners of a Game 5 when the series is tied 2-2 end up winning the series around 82% of the time, and with losses on Tuesday, the 76ers and the Mavericks will try to defy the odds. Let’s take a look at the pair of Game 5s that took place, plus a brief look at Wednesday’s contests.
Heat 120, 76ers 85 (MIA leads series 3-2)
After two straight losses that resulted in a tied series, Miami made a huge statement on Tuesday and completely thumped Philadelphia. The only guy missing for the Heat was Kyle Lowry (left hamstring strain), and I hate to say it, but they’ve looked slightly better without him with Jimmy Butler able to command the offense more. Plus, the team is 0-2 with Lowry in the lineup and 3-0 without him this series, which doesn’t really help his case. Jimmy Butler did a bit of everything except block a shot, finalizing his line to the tune of 23 points on 9-of-15 shooting, nine rebounds, six assists, one steal, two 3-pointers and two turnovers across 35 minutes. Jimmy was awesome, but the true difference maker in Game 5 was Max Strus. The third-year guard played 28 minutes in a start and shot 7-of-13 from the field for 19 points to go with 10 boards, one dime, four triples and just one turnover, and this marked the first double-double of Strus’ career (regular season or playoffs). He tallied 11 points with three triples in the first quarter to lead the Heat to a 12-point lead after those 12 minutes, and while the scoring slowed down, he did a great job on the glass and they got plenty of contributions in the scoring column from other guys. Bam Adebayo was pretty quiet on the stat sheet with a 12/6/0/1/2 effort, but he didn’t turn the ball over in 28 minutes and played phenomenal defense on Joel Embiid for much of the night. Gabe Vincent started for the aforementioned Lowry and scored 15 points with five boards, two assists, one steal and one trey-bomb in 28 minutes, but take this one with a grain of salt as he was the only starter out there for a good chunk of garbage time (I’m still a fan of him in DFS if Lowry misses Game 6). Sixth Man of the Year Tyler Herro only tallied a 10/2/3 line in 22 minutes, but he hit half of his eight shots and they didn’t need his microwave scoring on this occasion, while Victor Oladipo also shot 50% from the floor and was impressive with a 13/3/3 performance with a pair of steals, one 3-pointer and three turnovers in just 18 minutes. P.J. Tucker made some noise in his 31 minutes with a 10/4/7/1/1 effort with a pair of triples, with the 10 points matching his most in this series, and even Duncan Robinson played but scored just four points with a three in 13 minutes. Robinson did get into the game with five seconds left in the first quarter but didn’t score in a five-minute stint, and who knows how coach Spoelstra decides to use him going forward -- keep in mind Robinson had played one total minute in this series before Game 5.
This was one to forget for Philly, and just when you thought they had some fight in this, they got crushed and will now have to win two in a row against the best team in the East in order to advance. Joel Embiid continued to play through his face fracture and torn ligament in his right thumb, but he still led the team in scoring with 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting, but was pretty quiet for his standards otherwise with five rebounds, two assists, one steal and two turnovers in 33 minutes. Embiid dove into the crowd in the early minutes and looked to tweak his back, but stayed in, and then he got inadvertently whacked in the face by Dewayne Dedmon halfway through the second quarter and was on the floor in some pain for a while. He took a quick trip to the bench but soon returned, and despite the result, no one can deny the fight in this man. He’s about as banged up as can be and while he’ll again be listed as questionable for Game 6 on Thursday, expect him to give it everything he’s got, yet again. The rest of this box score was pretty disgusting, as the backcourt of James Harden (14/6/4 with one steal, two triples and four turnovers) and Tyrese Maxey (9/3/1 with one steal, one triple and two turnovers) combined to hit just seven shots on 23 attempts. Tobias Harris wasn’t much better either with 12 points on 5-of-14 from the floor, three boards, two treys and nothing else in 33 minutes, and when three of your five starters are converting at such rates, it makes sense that the 76ers came out of this one shooting just 36.5% from the field as a team. No one else did much at all, and if they did, it was in garbage time, with Shake Milton (9/4/1 with two steals and a trey), Danny Green (six points, two boards, one block, two triples), Paul Reed (7/8/2/2/1) and Furkan Korkmaz (six points, one steal) being the only other Sixers to be somewhat worth mentioning. In the very rare scenario that Embiid doesn’t play in Game 6, give Reed a look for DFS tournaments, as he filled it up in this one in just 16 minutes of floor time.
Suns 110, Mavericks 80 (PHO leads series 3-2)
I wish this game was more fun than the first, but sadly, it wasn’t. The average margin of victory on Tuesday night was 32.5 points, but at least things have mostly been competitive before this, so just hope for better things for the Game 6s. This was only a three-point game at halftime, but the Suns went on a tear in the third quarter, winning that frame by a 33-14 count which included a 17-0 run. Devin Booker, who apparently loves Game 5s, led the charge with a team-high 28 points on 11-of-20 shooting, also chipping in seven rebounds, two assists, two steals, three 3-pointers and two turnovers in 35 minutes. Book has now scored at least 23 points in four of the five games in this series and has eclipsed the 30-point mark twice in those, and I still don’t think he gets enough credit for how important he is to this team. Chris Paul was quiet on the offensive end with just seven points on 3-of-8 from the floor, but did have 10 dimes to go with two boards, one steal, one 3-pointer and four turnovers in 35 minutes. He’s now scored in single digits in consecutive games, but while Game 4 was due to foul trouble, he just didn’t need to shoot a ton in Game 5 with so many other guys getting it done (and Dallas being bad). Deandre Ayton was dominant with 20 very efficient points, nine boards and two dimes with just one turnover in 22 minutes, and while that’s all dandy, he didn’t have any defensive stats for the third time this series. I know fantasy is over and done with, but his three total blocks and no steals in this series perfectly exemplifies why I’m still not comfortable drafting him in the third round of drafts, where he’s often taken, but I’m sure I and the rest of the NBC Sports Edge crew will have more to say on that this summer. Mikal Bridges did his thing with 14 points, seven boards, four steals and two 3-pointers with no turnovers, of course, while Jae Crowder (three points before fouling out) had a night to forget. Crowder did get hit late and appeared to injure his shoulder, and he went to the locker room but that’s all we know for now. Let’s just hope he was playing it safe due to the score of the game and that he’s good to go for Wednesday. Cam Johnson had one of his better games with a 14/2/1/2/1 line, and if Phoenix can get a dozen points with a couple of threes from him off the bench, I’m sure that’ll meet their standards pretty easily. Landry Shamet scored eight points with three rebounds, four dimes, one steal and one trey in 19 minutes, but he was doing everything right out there even though his stat line wasn’t anything to write home about. To wrap up the Suns, Bismack Biyombo (seven points, six boards in 21 minutes) played backup center over JaVale McGee (three minutes) this time around, and Torrey Craig (six points) played a few minutes in garbage time after missing his last two games with a right elbow contusion.
Whatever the 76ers had for breakfast, the Mavs must have had the same thing. The first half went just fine but they looked completely lost in the second half, and they somehow finished with more turnovers (16) than assists (9) in the game as a whole. That’s impressively awful, and one of many things that coach Jason Kidd will look at ahead of Game 6. This box score was pretty gnarly too, as Luka’s 28-point, 11-rebound double-double with two dimes, three steals, two triples and four turnovers stole the show, but he did go just 10-of-23 from the field. Jalen Brunson showed up as well with 21 points (9-of-17 FGs), seven rebounds, two assists, one steal and four turnovers, and the jump he’s made this season has just been outstanding. It was reported that he plans to remain on the Mavs, but it’s only May, so don’t expect that story to stay completely intact as he’s going to rake in a ton of cash next season no matter where he goes. Davis Bertans was next up in scoring, which probably isn’t good, as he had 10 points with three triples and a steal in 19 minutes. Just one game removed from an eight-triple performance, Dorian Finney-Smith was invisible with a 8/3/2 line with two triples, two turnovers and nothing else, and his six shot attempts will likely leave a lot of people wondering why. Reggie Bullock and Dwight Powell both started but neither guy scored, and Bullock did ding his knee in the fourth but was available to return if needed (he wasn’t needed). Spencer Dinwiddie is still invisible, and a bunch of third-stringers got in there late when Dallas’ unfortunate fate had already been decided. Marquese Chriss (two points and two boards in five minutes) looked like he was about to meet Biyombo in the tunnel to throw hands, but security did a great job and the crisis was averted.
Wednesday’s games
- Bucks @ Celtics (series tied 2-2) - Al Horford was as dominant as ever in a much-needed Game 4 win, and now Boston will head to its home court to try and secure a lead that will have them just one more win away from the ECF. Robert Williams, who missed Game 4 with left knee soreness, is questionable to play, while George Hill (abdominal soreness) is probable and Khris Middleton (left knee MCL sprain) is still out. Giannis Antetokounmpo looked completely winded in the fourth quarter of Monday’s game, so hopefully the day off helped out.
- Warriors @ Grizzlies (GSW leads series 3-1) - after a heartbreaking loss in a Game 4 that was easily winnable if you’re the Grizzlies, they have a tall task ahead as they try to become the 14th team ever to come back from a 3-1 deficit. We finally got news on Ja Morant’s injury, as he was diagnosed with a bone bruise in his right knee and is not only out on Wednesday, but is doubtful to play for the rest of the postseason. Memphis has looked good without Morant in the past, but they’re missing their superstar and closer, which could have easily been the difference in Game 4. The rest of the guys listed as “out” have been on the injury report for quite some time.
