Booker Shines As Suns Sink Lakers Grizzlies Stun Jazz • Young Silences Knicks • Sixers Overcome Wizards

Established 1961 Sport TUESDAY, MAY 25, 2021 Booker shines as Suns sink Lakers Grizzlies stun Jazz • Young silences Knicks • Sixers overcome Wizards LOS ANGELES: Devin Booker made the most of his Morant combined for 57 points as the eighth-seeded playoff debut, scoring 34 points as the Phoenix Suns Memphis Grizzlies stunned the top-seeded Utah Jazz beat the reigning NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers 112-109 in their series opener in Salt Lake City. in their Western Conference series opener on Sunday. Canada’s Brooks had a team high 31 points and Booker spearheaded the 99-90 win for the sec- American Morant poured in 26 for the Grizzlies, who ond-seeded Suns over the Lakers, rallying his team upset the NBA’s top team just two days after making after an injury restricted Phoenix veteran Chris Paul’s the playoffs. “They had a couple of guys that couldn’t influence. Booker was backed by Deandre Ayton, who guard me,” said Brooks. contributed 21 points and 16 rebounds, while Mikal Jonas Valanciunas had 15 points and 12 rebounds Bridges and Cameron Johnson added 10 points while Kyle Anderson added 14 points for the Grizzlies, apiece for Phoenix. who are in the postseason for the first time in four A physical encounter saw the Suns’ Cameron years. Guard Mike Conley finished with 22 points and Payne ejected in the fourth quarter after a shoving 11 assists, and forward Bojan Bogdanovic scored 29 match which saw players and backroom staff stream points for the Jazz, who were missing all-star onto the court as tempers flared. The Lakers, mean- Donovan Mitchell for the 17th straight game. The while, struggled to hit their stride throughout, with first-place Jazz rested through the play-in tourna- LeBron James finishing with 18 points and Anthony ment but not the Grizzlies who had to win twice in a Davis with 13 points after making only five-of-16 row to grab the final playoff spot. from the field. In New York, Trae Young made a short jumper with Barring an early spell in the first quarter when one second left to lift the Atlanta Hawks to a 107-105 the Lakers led by five points, the Suns led win over the New York Knicks in the first game of throughout, maintaining a double-digit cushion for their East series. Young scored a game high 32 points, much of the second half and leading by 16 points 10 assists and went nine-of-nine from the free throw early in the fourth. line Sunday at Madison Square Garden as Atlanta “It was a big win for us,” Booker said, revealing edged the Knicks after losing all three games to them that the early injury to Paul had galvanized the Suns. during the regular season. “Chris went down early and I think that got our team “It’s fun. In the Mecca, New York City, Times locked in and understanding that every possession Square,” said Young. “It is about letting the game matters. We huddled up and said we’ve all got to give come to me and reading the game as it goes.” The a little bit more.” series appears to be evenly matched as the fourth- seeded Knicks and fifth-seeded Hawks each finished Bracing for backlash 41-31 on the season. Booker said the Suns would be bracing for a Young was the difference Sunday, getting the last Lakers backlash in game two in Phoenix tonight. shot and draining a seven-foot floater just before the Lakers star Davis meanwhile took responsibility for final buzzer. Bogdan Bogdanovic finished with 18 the defeat following a below-par performance. points and Lou Williams came off the bench to score “There’s no way we’re winning a game, let alone a 13 for Atlanta, who are a young team but have a deep series, with me playing the way I played,” Davis said. bench. Also, Tobias Harris erupted for 37 points as the “This was on me. I take full responsibility. I’ll be bet- top-seeded Philadelphia 76ers shut down the PHOENIX: Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns shoots over Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles ter in game two.” Washington Wizards to win their Eastern Conference Lakers during the second half of Game One of the Western Conference first-round playoff series at In other games on Sunday, Dillon Brooks and Ja first round series opener 125-118. — AFP Phoenix Suns Arena on Sunday in Phoenix, Arizona. — AFP.

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